Monte Carlo Masters: Defending champion Andrey Rublev beaten by Alexei Popyrin

Monte Carlo: Defending champion Andrey Rublev has been knocked out in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters by Alexei Popyrin in straight sets.

Unseeded Australian Popyrin overcame sixth seed Rublev 6-4 6-4 and will play compatriot 11th seed Alex de Minaur next who beat Tallon Griekspoor 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

Elsewhere, second seed Jannik Sinner is through to the last 16. The Australian Open champion beat American Sebastian Korda in straight sets - 6-1 6-2 - in his first match on clay this year.

He will play unseeded German player Jan-Lennard Struff on Thursday.

Rublev is the first of the top six seeds to be knocked out but third seed Carlos Alcaraz withdrew on Tuesday because of injury.

Russian Rublev broke to take a 3-1 lead in the second set but Popyrin broke back twice. He then held serve to reach the third round for the first time.

Meanwhile, two-time champion and 12th seed Stefanos Tsitsipas also reached the third round in a straight set 6-1, 6-0 win over Argentine Tomas Etcheverry.

Tsitsipas will play fifth seed Alexander Zverev, after the German beat Austrian Sebastian Ofner on Monday.

Eighth seed Casper Ruud defeated Chile's Alejandro Tabilo 6-2 6-4, fourth seed Daniil Medvedev eased past veteran Gael Monfils 6-2 6-4, Ugo Humbert beat Zhang Zhizhen 6-1, 6-4, 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz beat Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 7-6, Karen Khachanov beat Francisco Cerundolo 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Indian tennis ace Sumit Nagal was trailing in his second round match against 7th seed Holger Rune of Denmark, when rain led to a suspension of the contest. The unseeded Nagal lost the first set 3-6 and was behind 1-2 in the second.

The 9th seed Grigor Dimitrov was leading against Miomir Kecmanovic 6-4, 2-1 when rain stopped play.

In the doubles section, Rohan Bopanna-Matthew Eben lost to Mate Pavic- Marcelo Arevalo pair 3-6, 6-7. Agencies

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