MONTE CARLO: John Isner defeated fellow American Steve Johnson 6-4, 6-4 to win his first career match at the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday as Latvian 13th seed Ernests Gulbis fell 6-1, 6-0.

Isner, seeded 15, has only ventured onto European clay this early in a spring once before in a career which began eight years ago.

But a defeat in the 2013 first round did little to boost confidence for the self-confessed USA homebody who feels out of his depth culturally in Europe and much prefers to stay on his side of the Atlantic whenever possible.

Isner reached the Miami semi-finals a fortnight ago, where he lost to Novak Djokovic. He then crashed out as top seed last week in Houston.

“I like this court even if I’ve not played much on it,” said the winner.

“I’m just happy to be off to a good start in 2015.

“I’m not the best mover on the clay, so I think serve-and-volley can be a good tactic when an opponent is far back on the baseline. I hope to keep going here.”

Isner finished his afternoon with back-to-back aces - his 12th and 13th - as he advanced.

Gulbis refused to bow to stress as the laid-back Latvian exited timidly, a 6-1, 6-0 first-round victim of Austria’s Andreas Haider-Maurer.

Elsewhere in the first round, Spanish 12th seed Roberto Bautista Agut began with a 6-0, 6-2 hammering of German Benjamin Becker while 2013 semi-finalist Fabio Fognini of Italy defeated Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz 6-3, 6-1.

Alexandr Dolgopolov stopped Croatian teenager Borna Coric 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in two and a quarter-hours; Joao Sousa of Portugal beat Edouardo Roger-Vasselin of France 6-1, 3-6, 6-0 as the tournament mourned the death Sunday after illness of former tournament director Patrice Dominguez.

Results:

First round: Andreas Haider-Maurer (AUT) bt Ernests Gulbis (LAT x13) 6-1, 6-0; Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 6-4, 6-4; Benoit Paire (FRA) bt Denis Kudla (USA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3); Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) bt Borna Coric (CRO) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2; David Goffin (BEL) bt Norbert Gombos (SVK) 6-1, 6-4; Fabio Fognini (ITA) bt Jerzy Janowicz (POL) 6-3, 6-1; Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) bt Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4; Joao Sousa (POR) bt Edouardo Roger-Vasselin (FRA) 6-1, 3-6, 6-0; Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) bt Robin Haase (NED) 6-1, 6-1; Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x12) bt Benjamin Becker (GER) 6-0, 6-2; John Isner (USA x15) bt Steve Johnson (USA) 6-4, 6-4.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play