Japan's Kei Nishikori reacting during his second round match against France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the Monte-Carlo ATP Masters Series tournament on Wednesday — Reuters MONTE CARLO, Principality of Monaco, Apr 17 (AFP): Alexander Zverev rediscovered traces of his best form with a 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Felix Auger-Aliassime on Wednesday at the Monte Carlo Masters.
The German, who is based in the Principality, reached the third round as he tamed the 18-year-old who broke through for a Miami semi-final last month.
Rafael Nadal starts his bid for a 12th title here later, with an opening match in the second round against fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut.
The 21-year-old Zverev played the semi-finals in Monte Carlo a year ago but has yet to hit his stride this season.
Canadian Auger-Aliassime has made a fast rise in the rankings from 175 a year ago to his current 33rd.
Britain's Cameron Norrie defeated Marton Fucsovics of Hungary 7-6 (7/3), 6-3, while Pierre-Hugues Herbert stunned 2018 finalist and fifth seed Kei Nishikori 7-5, 6-4.
Japan's Kei Nishikori lost his opening match of the clay season on Wednesday, with Asia's top player crashing to a 7-5, 6-4 defeat to Pierre-Hugues Herbert at the Monte Carlo Masters.
Fifth seed Nishikori reached the final here last year but will lose a chunk of ranking points after he hit 25 unforced errors and just 14 winners in succumbing to Frenchman Herbert.
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