Donskoy beats Bagnis in Barcelona

BARCELONA — Evgeny Donskoy of Russia defeated Facundo Bagnis of Argentina 7-5, 7-6 (5) to advance to the second round of the Barcelona Open Monday. Elsewhere, crowds welcomed newly-crowned Monte Carlo Masters champion and eight-time Barcelona Open winner Rafael Nadal as he arrived at the club. Nadal has a bye into the next round, where he will play the winner of the match between Marcel Granollers and Daniel Munoz de la Nava. Nadal said he realized he wouldn’t be able to go on winning in Barcelona indefinitely, but his victory in Monte Carlo had given him great confidence. “I’m really happy to have won one of the most important tournaments of the year,” he added. “I won’t talk about what’s missing or what I’m lacking right now. I have to be satisfied with what I’ve accomplished.” Nadal’s win over Monfils clinched his ninth Monte Carlo title and a record-equaling 28th Masters crown. Barcelona’s 48-player draw this week includes defending champion Kei Nishikori — who is targeting a third title — David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet. In other first-round matches, Malek Jaziri of Tunisia eased past Chung Hey-on of South Korea 6-3, 6-4 and Victor Estrella Burgos of the Dominican Republic recovered to beat Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. Stosur splits with coach Former US Open champion Sam Stosur will end a second stint with coach David Taylor after the French Open, local media reported Monday. Australian Stosur, a former finalist at Roland Garros, reunited with Taylor in 2015, two years after parting ways with the coach that helped guide her to the 2011 title at Flushing Meadows. Europe-based Taylor said it was becoming more difficult logistically to keep working with 32-year-old Stosur, who is based in the United States. Aussie avoids jail for match-fixing Former Australian professional tennis player Nick Lindahl has avoided a jail term after pleading guilty to match-fixing charges relating to a game in 2013, state media reported Monday. Lindahl, 27, appeared for sentencing in Sydney’s Burwood court Monday and was fined A$1,000 ($767), the Australian Broadcasting Corporation said. The charges related to a match Lindahl played against a junior in a low-level tournament in northeastern Queensland state. Lindahl’s opponent was approached by a third party before the game but rejected the offer and reported it to a match official, the court was told earlier. — Agencies