Fognini, Monfils advance in France

May 21, 2013 - 7:59 PM Nice, France (Sports Network) - Sixth seed Fabio Fognini and French crowd favorite Gael Monfils were among Tuesday's first-round winners at the $530,000 Nice Open, a final clay-court French Open tune-up.

The Italian Fognini came from behind to defeat qualifier and fellow countryman Marco Cecchinato, 1-6, 6-1, 6-2, while the wild card Monfils overcame Colombian Santiago Giraldo, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, at Nice Lawn Tennis Club.

Also on Day 3, veteran Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu handled American lucky loser Ryan Harrison 6-4, 6-4, French qualifier Guillaume Rufin drubbed Italian Paolo Lorenzi 6-3, 6-1, and Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky subdued Brazilian fellow qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-2, 6-3.

The second round will be staged on Wednesday, as second-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon will take on his countryman Rufin; third-seeded American Sam Querrey will tangle with Stakhovsky; fourth-seeded American John Isner will meet Dutchman Robin Haase; and Fognini will battle Monfils in some of the scheduled action.

The 2013 Nice champion will earn $95,000.