British No.1 Norrie crashes out of Monte Carlo Masters

dpa London British number one Cameron Norrie crashed out of the Monte Carlo Masters after losing in three sets to Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Norrie, who...

dpaLondonBritish number one Cameron Norrie crashed out of the Monte Carlo Masters after losing in three sets to Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.Norrie, who received a bye in the first round as the seventh seed, recovered from a set and a break down to force a decider, with his opponent seemingly struggling with an abdominal injury.However, world number 37 Ramos-Vinolas fought back to win 6-4, 2-6.6-4 in 2 hours and 32 minutes, the eighth victory of his career against a player ranked in the world’s top 10.Ramos-Vinolas has now won all four of his matches on clay against Norrie, whose only victory against the Spaniard came on grass at Queen’s last year.Norrie saved a break point in the opening game of the match with the aid of two aces, but was broken in the seventh game and was unable to convert his only break point of the set as Ramos-Vinolas served it out.Ramos-Vinolas then broke in the opening game of the second set and held serve to lead 2-0, only for Norrie to rattle off the next six games in a row, including three breaks of serve, to set up a decider.After taking a painkiller for his injury, Ramos-Vinolas rediscovered his best form in the final set and one break of serve was enough to secure a rollercoaster win.“We always have good matches and he’s in the top 10 so for me today it’s a great win,” Ramos-Vinolas said in an on-court interview.“I started off well and was 2-0 up in the second set but tennis is like this. I lost seven (games) in a row but somehow I start to play good and I’m happy to be in the next round.”Spaniard reflects on second-round loss against KordaCarlos Alcaraz suffered a rare setback at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Wednesday when he lost in three sets against Sebastian Korda. But the Spanish star was clear that the defeat had nothing to do with expectations.“I’m a bit disappointed with myself. I had a lot of chances to be up in the match and close to winning, but these losses sometimes [are] good to live. You have to play matches,” Alcaraz said. “But I didn’t think about the expectations that the people have [for] me. I just focussed on me and what I have to do. But as I said, you have to play more matches on clay courts.”All eyes were on the 18-year-old after his run to the Miami Open presented by Itau title. Alcaraz said that he was not physically and mentally fatigued leading into the year’s first clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event.“I’m ready to [go] back [to] training and focus on the next tournaments,” Alcaraz said. “It [was] a tough match, but I think mentally I’m ready to play these kind of matches, long matches, and tough matches. I mean, mentally and physically, I’m ready.”Alcaraz admitted that his loss was moreso because of the transition from hard to clay.“It’s never easy to get used to playing on clay courts. The first match is always tough, even when you are playing against Sebastian, a great player. Today was difficult conditions, the wind and everything,” Alcaraz said. “Now is time to be focussed on the next tournament and keep playing on clay.”The World No. 11 added: “It’s totally different to play on clay than on hard court. Points are longer, the slice [is used] much [more] than on hard court. But yeah, you have to adapt your game to clay courts. It’s totally different. More topspin, [the] points [are] longer.“You have to play matches, play sets, to get used to playing on clay courts. Well, it’s tough, the transition [from] hard courts to clay courts.”Despite the loss, Alcaraz is still 18-8 in tour-level matches on clay in his career. A year ago, he captured his first ATP Tour title on the surface in Umag and earlier this season he triumphed at the ATP 500 in Rio de Janeiro. Next week, the teen will try to get back on track in Barcelona.