Grigor Dimitrov and Marin Cilic will both progress into the Italian Open second round after securing wins in the first round of the tournament on Monday.
No. 15 seed Dimitrov beat wildcard Gianluca Mager from Italy 7-5, 6-1 in just over an hour. He will face the winner of Yoshihito Nishioka and Miomir Kecmanovic, ho lifted his first ATP Tour title at the Generali Open on Sunday, who don’t meet until Tuesday.
Cilic had to work harder for his victory against Alexander Bublik but eventually came out top with a 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 victory.
The Croatian made it to the Italian Open semifinals two years ago where he lost to 2020 US Open runner-up Alexander Zverev.
Cilic will face Belgium’s David Goffin in the next round.
Borna Coric pulled off a surprise 6-4, 6-4 victory against No. 14 seed Cristian Garin.
Elsewhere on the claycourts, Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti beat fellow countryman Giulio Zeppieri 6-1, 5-7, 6-3 while Great Britain’s Dan Evans lost to Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 6-3, 5-7.
Ugo Humbert eased past South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in two sets 3-6, 7-6 as did Lorenzo Sonego against Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-3, 6-1.
Federico Coria dropped just two sets against Damir Dzumhur, beating him 6-1, 6-1.
Marco Cecchinato beat Jozef Kovalik 6-2, 6-1 while Tennys Sandgren from the United States beat Portugal’s Joao Sousa 6-3, 6-0.