Grigor Dimitrov and Gael Monfils up and running at Roland Garros

ATP Tour

Fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov and Gael Monfils have secured their second-round spots at the French Open.

Fourth seed Dimitrov only found out in the morning that he would face Mohamed Safwat after Victor Troicki was forced to pull out due to a back injury.

World No 182 Safwat took the place of Troicki and he became the first Egyptian since 1996 to feature in the main draw of a Grand Slam.

However, his journey was over pretty quickly as he lost 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) against the Bulgarian.

“I was warming up and my coach said, ‘hey look’ and we saw up on the board that I was playing a different opponent,” Dimitrov said. “I didn’t expect that.”

He will face Jared Donaldson in the second round after the American beat Nicolas Jarry 6-3, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Monfils, the 32nd seed, won an all-French battle as he came from a set down to beat compatriot Elliot Benchetrit 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1.

The 26th seeded Damir Dzumhur is also through as he secured a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 victory over American Denis Kudla and he will face Radu Albot next after the Romanian beat Gregoire Barrere 4-6, 0-6, 7-5, 6-1, 6-2.

Pablo Carreno-Busta, the 10th seed from Spain, advanced as he beat Jozef Kovalik 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).

ATP Tour French Open Gael Monfils Grigor Dimitrov Pablo Carreno Busta

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