Djokovic a sure thing in Monte Carlo opener

Novak Djokovic opened his Monte Carlo Masters title defense with a 6-1 6-0 demolition of Spanish qualifier Albert Montanes on Tuesday to reach the third round. In his first clay-court match of the season, the Serbian world number two won 11 games in succession from 1-1 in a 45-minute stroll on center court.

Djokovic, bidding to become the first player to achieve an Indian Wells-Miami-Monte Carlo Masters treble in the same season, ended his opponent’s ordeal on his first match point with a volley, having broken five times and saved four break points.

Fifth seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic had to work to get past Russian Dmitry Tursunov, 7-5 6-4, while Spain’s David Ferrer, the sixth seed, stormed into the third round with a 6-3 6-0 thrashing of Frenchman Jeremy Chardy.

Djokovic, who 12 months ago ended Rafael Nadal’s eight-year reign in the principality, has won the last four Masters events he has played, prevailing in Shanghai, Paris, Indian Wells and Miami and also won the 2013 ATP World Tour Finals.

Earlier, Frenchman Michael Llodra beat Polish 16th seed Jerzy Janowicz in first-round action and French ninth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga struggled to secure a third-round spot in a 6-4 1-6 6-4 defeat of German Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Russian Mikhail Youzhny was the other seeded casualty to go down as the 13th seed was beaten by Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3 7-6(4) in the first round.

Top seed Nadal and former world number one Roger Federer, seeded fourth, enter the fray on Wednesday.

AP