John Isner got off to a winning start in Monaco (photo: zimbio)

15^th seed John Isner got off to a winning start at the ATP Monte Carlo Masters after pulling off a straight-set conquest of fellow American Steve Johnson, 6-4 6-4 in the opening round on Monday. Besides firing 13 aces, Isner won a commendable 88 percent of his first-serve points en route the victory.

12^th seed Roberto Bautista Agut looked in supreme touch, as he thrashed Benjamin Becker of Germany, winning 6-0 6-2 in just 52 minutes. Up next, Agut is scheduled to lock horns with another German in Philipp Kohlschreiber in the second round.

Italian Fabio Fognini also produced a spectacular performance to knock out Polish journeyman Jerzy Janowicz. The former needed just 57 minutes to cruise for a serene 6-3 6-1 triumph.

However, it was the end of the road for 13^th-seeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis, who suffered a stunning first-round defeat from the hands of Andreas Haider-Maurer.

1^st Round Results

(Q) A Ramos-Vinolas d. (L) R Haase 6-1 6-1

A Haider-Maurer d. (13) E Gulbis 6-1 6-0

D Goffin d. (Q) N Gombos 6-1 6-4

(15) J Isner d. S Johnson 6-4 6-4

(Q) B Paire d. (Q) D Kudla 6-3 7-6

S Stakhovsky d. PC Busta 7-6 4-6 6-4

P Kohlschreiber d. M Kukushkin 6-4 6-4

(12) RB Agut d. B Becker 6-0 6-2

J Sousa d. (Q) E Roger-Vasselin 6-1 3-6 6-0

F Fognini d. J Janowicz 6-3 6-1

A Dolgopolov d. B Coric 7-5 5-7 6-2