Berdych labors through first round at Monte-Carlo Masters

No. 9 seed Tomas Berdych stormed into the second round at ATP Monte-Carlo Masters in three sets against Russian qualifier Andrey Kuznetsov, while German youngster Alexander Zverev conceded only three games for a last 32 spot past Italian veteran Andreas Seppi on Monday.

Berdych, the highest ranked player in the first round, lost 6-4 in the first set. However, the 2015 runner-up managed to turn the table by winning the next two sets at 6-3, 6-4 in a matchup which lasted two hours, leading all six seeded players' victories on Monday.

The 19-year-old Zverev, ranked 14th, eased past Seppi 6-1, 6-2. Adding to the list of second-round appearance were No. 12 Roberto Bautista Agut, No. 13 Pablo Carreno Busta, No. 15 Albert Ramos-Vinolas and No. 16 Pablo Cuevas.

"I like playing on clay, because it's the surface that I grew up on," commented Zverev after a brilliant play in the ATP 1000 tournament.

In an all-British matchup, Kyle Edmund beat Daniel Evans 7-5, 6-1 to book a second-round clash with defending champions Rafael Nadal.

Second-seeded Novak Djokovic and home player Gilles Simon heated up for their singles second-round encounter in Monday's doubles first round, where Djokovic and compatriot Viktor Troicki got past Simon and his partner Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 7-5, 6-3. Endit