Evans wins but Medvedev bows out due to Covid

DAN Evans ended a four-match losing streak with his first tourlevel victory on clay for four years at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The British No 1 has lost a succession of close contests in recent weeks and saw two match points come and go in a long second-set tie-break against 2019 runner-up Dusan Lajovic before prevailing 6-3 6-7 (11-13) 6-2.

Evans has always struggled on clay and he had not won a match on the surface at any level since a qualifying victory over Serbian Lajovic in Rome in May 2019.

The match began on Monday but rain washed out play for the day after Evans withstood early pressure to take the opening set.

The 30-year-old from Birmingham missed four match points in losing to Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti in Cagliari last week and nerves were evident from both men in a dramatic second-set tie-break. Lajovic led 6-4 but Evans hit back to force two match points only to miss a forehand and a smash. He saved another three set points but Lajovic took his sixth chance, with Evans making his frustration clear.

But it was Lajovic who made a shaky start to the deciding set and Evans capitalised, fighting off more pressure in the final game before clinching his fourth match point and letting out a loud roar.

In the second round he will play Miami Open champion Hubert Hurkacz.

Meanwhile, world No 2 Daniil Medvedev has been withdrawn from the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters after testing positive for coronavirus.

The announcement came ahead of the third day of play, with Medvedev replaced in the draw by Argentinian lucky loser Juan Ignacio Londero