MONACO—Two-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced to the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters after Laslo Djere of Serbia retired injured on Monday.
The 12th-seeded Tsitsipas was leading 6-3, 3-2 when the unseeded Djere pulled out with an unspecified injury. Djere walked up to the net during the changeover and shook hands with Tsitsipas.
The big-serving Greek won the title in 2021 and went on to the French Open final that year. He followed with another Monte Carlo trophy in 2022 but went out at the quarterfinal stage last year. Tsitsipas next faces Nicolas Jarry of Chile or Tomas Etcheverry of Argentina.
Ninth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov had little trouble beating local player Valentin Vacherot of Monaco, targeting his opponent’s weaker backhand in a 7-5, 6-2 win. The Bulgarian is chasing his second title of the year.
Dimitrov next plays Matteo Berrettini — who on Sunday won the Grand Prix Hassan II in Morocco — or Miomir Kecmanovic.
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime didn’t concede a break point in beating Italian qualifier Luca Nardi 6-2, 6-3, although things should get tougher in the second round against third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz. / AP