Frenchman Michael Llodra made good of his wild card entry, turning in the first victory in the main draw of Masters Series Monte-Carlo 2006 presented by ROLEX as he conceded just three games to Boris Pashanski in the Serb's short-lived event debut.

Pashanski managed to convert only one of his 11 break chances throughout the 72-minute match, earning the bagel when he went 0 for 7 in the second set.

Llodra, who next faces the winner of the Nicolas Kiefer-Max Mirnyi match, evened his event record to 2-2 with Monday's win. Both his losses in Monte-Carlo have come at the hands of 2002 Roland Garros champion Albert Costa - in the second round in 2002 and in the first round last year. Costa is not in the Monte-Carlo main draw this year.

Two of Llodra's compatriots did not fare as well on the first day of play. In the morning's marathon match, Czech Jan Hernych outlasted wild card Julien Benneteau, prevailing in the tie-breaks to take the 7-6(9), 4-6, 7-6(4) victory. Hernych won just four more points than the Frenchman during the 3-hour, 17-minute tie in which the players combined for 27 break chances.

French teen Gael Monfils, the ATP's 2005 Newcomer of the Year, also went down in three sets. The 19-year-old relinquished a one set lead to Belgium's Olivier Rochus to fall to 1-6 in his last six tournament appearances. Monfils opened the season by reaching his fourth career ATP final in Doha (l. to Federer) but has since struggled to get back on form.

Belgian Kristof Vliegen will join his compatriot in the second round after turning in a winning effort over No. 14 seed Jarkko Nieminen, while Andreas Seppi advanced by prevailing in the all-Italian battle with Davide Sanguinetti.

Also in early action Monday, Vina del Mar titlist Jose Acasuso began proceedings on Center Court with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Italian Filippo Volandri. Spaniard Alberto Martin also won his first-round match, toppling circuit ace leader Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 7-6(3).