Monte Carlo, Monaco-Ville, Monaco, 15 April 2018 | tennis.com.au

Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis has been awarded a wildcard into the main draw of the Monte Carlo Masters, beginning Sunday.

Kokkinakis lines up against fellow young-gun Karen Khachanov in one of the picks of the first-round matches, scheduled for the tournament’s centre court on Sunday evening (AEST).

Kokkinakis or Khachanov would meet the winner of the all-French affair between 16th seed Adrian Mannarino and wildcard Gilles Simon.

> ATP Monte Carlo main draw

The winner of that second-round encounter would progress to a likely meeting with world No.1 and top seed Rafael Nadal in the last 16.

Nadal is chasing an unprecedented 11th title on the Monte Carlo clay courts.

https://twitter.com/StefTsitsipas/status/984846814527610880

Another Aussie, Alex De Minaur, fell 6-4 7-5 in the first round of qualifying to top seed Andreas Seppi.

At the WTA 125K hardcourt event in Zhengzhou, China, Queenslander Olivia Tjandramulia went down in three sets in her opening-round qualifying match to Japan’s Mai Minokoshi.