Ferrero Finishes Strong to Reach Second Round

Two-time former champion Juan Carlos Ferrero rallied from a set down to defeat Michael Llodra 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-1 to reach the second round of Masters Series Monte-Carlo Presented by Rolex on Monday.

The former World No. 1, who claimed back-to-back titles in 2002-03, improved to a career 27-7 record in Monte-Carlo, where he also reached the semifinals last year and in 2005.

The 13th seeded Ferrero recovered from an early 1-3 deficit to serve for the first set at 5-4, only to see Llodra break back and soon after force a tie-break, which he won. But the 2003 Roland Garros champion won 12 of the last 14 games of the match to cruise into the second round. The Spaniard faced seven break points in the first set, but in the second and third sets faced just two break points, and he saved both.

Ferrero next meets the winner of Frenchman Marc Gicquel and Finn Jarkko Nieminen.

Scotland's Andy Murray, making his first appearance of the 2008 clay court season, defeated Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-6(5), 6-4 to reach the second round. Murray has enlisted the help of former World No. 2 and clay court great Alex Corretja for the clay court season.

Former Monte-Carlo champion Carlos Moya suffered a shock first-round loss to American Sam Querrey, who last year won just one of six matches on clay. Querrey broke the former Roland Garros champion once in both the first and third sets en route to a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 win.