Djokovic downs Monfils

Novak Djokovic looked sharp in his opener at the Madrid Open on Tuesday, defeating Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2 to advance to a thirdround match against Andy Murray. It was the Serb’s 18th straight win over Monfils. The match was interrupted at 2-2 in the first set as rain forced the roof on center court to be closed. Djokovic arrived in Madrid with a 5-3 record in the three tournaments he played. He had needed three sets in each of his last three victories this season, all in Serbia before losing the final there to Andrey Rublev. Djokovic played in only one hard-court tournament after having not been allowed to participate in the Australian Open because of his vaccination status. He lost to Jiri Vesely in the Dubai quarterfinals. He also lost to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in his opening match in Monte Carlo, which was his only other clay tournament this season. Djokovic, a three-time winner in Madrid, next faces Murray, a two-time champion in Madrid who continued his latest comeback with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 win over Denis Shapovalov. Teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz kept his good run with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Nikoloz Basilashvili, staying on track for a quarterfinal encounter with idol Rafael Nadal. The third-seeded Nadal opens today against Miomir Kecmanovic. Marin Cilic defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, while Americans Frances Tiafoe and Jenson Brooksby lost their first-round matches in straight sets. In an all-American match, Sebastian Korda defeated Reilly Opelka 6-3, 7-5.