Dan Evans beaten by Ilya Ivashka in Monte Carlo Masters

Tennis365 11 Apr 2023 7:13 PM

Dan Evans reacts during a match.

British number two Dan Evans bowed out of the Rolex Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco as Ilya Ivashka fought back to book a second-round clash with brother-in-law Karen Khachanov.

Evans took the first set comfortably but was unable to sustain his form as the world number 74 went through 2-6 6-2 6-3.

The Briton got off to the best possible start when he broke Ivashka in the opening game, and he produced some accomplished tennis as the qualifier attempted to move him around the court to race into a 4-0 lead with the minimum of fuss.

Ilya Ivashka got the better of Britain’s Dan Evans in three sets (Steve Paston/PA)

However, as the Belarusian belatedly started to make his forehand count, he got himself on the board and briefly threatened to put pressure on the Briton, but the fightback proved fleeting as Evans served out to take the first set 6-2 in just 30 minutes.

Ivashka rallied to win the first game of the second set on serve and then broke at the second time of asking to go 3-1 ahead as he found his length to pin his opponent to the back of the court.

Evans held to love in the sixth game of the set, but passed up a break point in the next to trail 5-2 and was swiftly made to pay as the match was squared.

https://twitter.com/atptour/status/1645827428248608768

The third set went with serve – Evans saw another break point elude him at 3-3 – before Ivashka made the decisive move in the eighth game and ultimately eased across the finishing line.

Elsewhere, world number one Novak Djokovic made short work of beating Ivan Gakhov 7-6 (5) 6-2 in the second round to book his place in the last 16.

Meanwhile Andrey Rublev earlier became the first player to book a place in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Results from the ATP Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday:

1st rd

Luca Nardi (ITA) bt Valentin Vacherot (MON) 7-5, 7-5

Lorenzo Musetti (ITA x16) bt Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 7-6 (7/1), 6-0

Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) bt Ugo Humbert (FRA) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5

Alexander Zverev (GER x13) bt Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 3-6, 6-2, 6-4

Karen Khachanov ( x9) bt Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 6-2, 6-2

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) bt Ben Shelton (USA) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3

Jiri Lehecka (CZE) bt Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) 6-1, 7-5

2nd rd