Britain's Kyle Edmund en route to a surprise early exit at the Monte Carlo Masters ©Getty Images

British number one Kyle Edmund was beaten by Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters in Monaco today.

Edmund, who reached his maiden Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour final on Sunday (April 15), losing at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakesh, was beaten 6-3, 5-7. 6-2 by the world number 62 at the Monte Carlo Country Club. 

Seppi will play Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the second round, which is also due to see the arrival tomorrow of defending champion and world number one Rafael Nadal.

Elsewhere, Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem fought back to beat Russia's Andrey Rublev 5-7. 7-5/ 7-5.in his second round match in this ATP Masters 1000 event. 

Austria's fifth seed at the Monte Carlo Masters, Dominic Thiem, made a winning return after five weeks out with an ankle injury, beating Russia's Andrey Rublev in a match where he saved a match point ©Getty Images
Austria's fifth seed at the Monte Carlo Masters, Dominic Thiem, made a winning return after five weeks out with an ankle injury, beating Russia's Andrey Rublev in a match where he saved a match point ©Getty Images

Thiem, making his return after a five-week absence with an ankle injury, saved a match point in the second set before reaching the third round in two hours 40 minutes.

Bulgarian fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov also overcame a scare to beat France's Pierre-Hugues Herbert 3-6. 6-2. 6-4.

France’s Davis Cup hero Lucas Pouille, seeded seventh, made an early exit as he was beaten 6-2. 1-6, 6-7 by Mischa Zverev of Germany.

Zverev’s younger brother Alexander progressed in his second round match, however, beating Luxembourg’s Gilles Mueller 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.