PHOTO: AFP
MONTE CARLO: American Taylor Fritz profited from Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's back problem, advancing 6-4, 2-0 on Tuesday when the Frenchman retired in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Tsonga's pullout after 57 minutes on court was a setback as he returns from 2018 knee surgery.
The Frenchman, who turns 34 on Wednesday, reached the semi-finals here in 2013 and 2016 but did not compete on the clay last spring.
He reached the semi-finals last week in Marrakech, losing to countryman Benoit Paire.
Fritz, ranked 65th, was making his Monte Carlo debut and ended a run of four first-round losses dating to February.
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