Match Report
Zverev rallies from 2-5, battles past Garin in Monte-Carlo; Fonseca advances
Ruud units Auger-Aliassime assembly
April 08, 2026
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Alexander Zverev in motion on clay for the primary time this season.
By Sam Jacot
Alexander Zverev rallied from the brink on Wednesday to remain alive on the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.
Competing on clay for the primary time this 12 months, Zverev battled from 2-5 in the deciding set to defeat Chilean qualifier Cristian Garin 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. In a mammoth last sport, the World No. 3 saved three break factors earlier than he ultimately sealed victory on his third match level. Zverev let loose a roar after lastly triumphing below the April solar on Court Rainier III after two hours and 50 minutes.
“My level was not there at all to be honest,” Zverev mentioned. “But it was my first clay-court match in 11 months. I didn’t have much time to prepare as I played well in Miami. I am happy to get the win. It was a tough match and he is someone playing well, especially here. At the end of the day, sometimes it is just about getting the win.”
The two-time Monte-Carlo semi-finalist Zverev reached the final 4 on the first two Masters 1000 occasions of the 12 months in Indian Wells and Miami, in addition to the Australian Open. However, the German regarded set for his first opening-round exit of the season in the center of the third set towards Garin.
Yet regardless of committing 47 unforced errors and trailing 0-4 and 2-5 in the third set, the 28-year-old locked down from the baseline simply in time to advance. Zverev will subsequent meet Zizou Bergs after the Belgian beat Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-1.
Garin got here via qualifying earlier than he dispatched Matteo Arnaldi for the lack of six video games to succeed in the second spherical in the Principality. High in confidence, the 29-year-old was aggressive however faltered simply earlier than the ending line, with Zverev upping his depth. Garin has discovered his finest stage on clay in the past, clinching all 5 of his tour-level titles on the floor. The Chilean is stage with Zverev at 2-2 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head sequence.
In different motion, Joao Fonseca turned the youngest man to succeed in the third spherical in Monte-Carlo since Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet in 2005. The 19-year-old Brazilian eradicated Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
Fonseca is making his debut in the Principality and has impressed on clay in the past, lifting the trophy on the ATP 250 occasion in Buenos Aires in 2025. The World No. 40 will play Matteo Berrettini in the third spherical.
Miami finalist Jiri Lehecka notched a hard-fought 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 win towards Alejandro Tabilo. Lehecka, competing at a career-high No. 13 in the PIF ATP Rankings, will face eighth seed Alexander Bublik in the third spherical.
Casper Ruud set a third-round conflict with Felix Auger-Aliassime. Ninth seed Ruud downed Corentin Moutet 7-5, 6-3 and sixth seed Auger-Aliassime beat Marin Cilic 7-6(4), 6-3 to succeed in the final 16 in Monte-Carlo for the primary time. Ruud, a finalist in Monte-Carlo in 2024, has gained 12 tour-level titles on clay.
