Winning start for Simon in Monte Carlo

In five previous meetings Simon has been beaten by Troicki, but the Serb was unable to continue that run as Simon recorded a 6-3 6-4 triumph.

Frenchman Gilles Simon ended his winless run against Viktor Troicki with a straight-sets victory.

Gilles Simon ended his winless run against Viktor Troicki with a straight-sets victory that moves the Frenchman into the Monte-Carlo Masters second round.

In five previous meetings Simon has been beaten by the Serbian, but Troicki was unable to continue that run as Simon recorded a 6-3, 6-4 triumph.

Despite a late wobble that saw Troicki threaten a comeback, the world number 19 eventually got over the line, continuing his impressive form that saw him reach the quarter-finals in Miami recently.

The only other first-round encounter on Sunday saw Jeremy Chardy beat Andrey Kuznetsov 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.

Chardy had already lost to Kuznetsov twice this season at the Australian Open and Indian Wells, but he came out victorious in Monte Carlo thanks to his first win since Delray Beach in mid-February.