TV Tennis Monte Carlo 2014

Novak Djokovic began his clay season with a win on Tuesday, thumping Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1, 6-4 at the Monte Carlo Masters.

The Serbian world no 1, who lives a few hundred metres from Court Central at the seaside Country Club, was pleased with his performance.

“For a first match on clay, it was pretty good, ” said the winner of back-to-back hardcourt Masters 1000 titles in the US.

“I’m happy to have started so strong.

“There is a lot of work to be done on the clay, I knew I had a dangerous opponent, one who plays well on thin surface.

“I’m glad to be back home and playing against him in Monte Carlo, ” said the 2014 semi-finalist. “I was very motivated and concentrated today on court.”

Djokovic, bidding to become the first player to win the opening three Masters 1000 tournaments following his Indian Wells and Miami triumphs, is playing for the 142nd week on the ATP number one ranking, putting him one week ahead of Rafael Nadal as the game’s top player.

Meanwhile, 11th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 6-4 while number 14 Gael Monfils had to overcome three breaks in the last four games of his contest before edging Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.