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Dominic Thiem, other top seeds win early at Monte-Carlo

By Harry Floyd

MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - APRIL 17: Dominic Thiem of Austria hits a backhand return during his Mens Singles match against Andrey Rublev of Russia at Monte-Carlo Sporting Club on April 17, 2018 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - APRIL 17: Dominic Thiem of Austria hits a backhand return during his Mens Singles match against Andrey Rublev of Russia at Monte-Carlo Sporting Club on April 17, 2018 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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Dominic Thiem is an early winner at the 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters. Several other top seeded players take their opening matches.

Winning their opening round matches are Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, and David Goffin, among others. Those four, however, have been going back and forth in the ATP World Tour men’s singles rankings as of late. A strong run at the 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters for any of them could do wonders moving forward. With action at Roland Garros right around the corner, Thiem and others would greatly benefit from some momentum.

Top seeds Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic are in action on Wednesday at the event. Nadal squares off against Slovenian tennis player Aljaz Bedene first at the Monte-Carlo Masters. The top seed is the clear favorite and has proven his dominance at the tournament over the past decade.

Related Story: Dimitrov: Monte-Carlo Chances

Thiem battles past up and coming tennis star Andrey Rublev. Taking three sets, the Austrian emerges on top, going 5-7, 7-5, 7-5. It was not an easy win for Thiem but it was without a doubt entertaining for those watching. Rublev had won his opener in order to meet Thiem in the round of 32. Now, the fifth seed awaits his next opponent at the Masters 1000 tournament.

Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic are both in action on Wednesday at the 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters. Nadal is the top seed and favorite this year.

Next: Nadal's 2018 Injury Troubles

Nadal, like several top players is returning from injury. His intermittent play makes him slightly less of the dominant favorite to win this week, but still, he is clearly comfortable at the tournament. With ten titles under his belt at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Nadal must be considered the player to beat if he is in action. Two-time champion Novak Djokovic already won his opener. He too has been dealing with ongoing injuries but is hoping to gather his stride in the coming weeks. Monte-Carlo could be the place to get it started. He and others such as Thiem or Dimitrov could play spoiler against the world No. 1 Nadal. Stay tuned to see how Dominic Thiem and other top seed fare in the coming days at the 2018 Monte-Carlo Masters. Check back for all of the action in men’s singles tennis as the ATP World Tour heads toward the French Open.

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