Gael Monfils, newly returned from injury after participating last week in Estoril, will take on Italian veteran Andreas Seppi on day two at the Madrid Masters. Meanwhile American Frances Tiafoe faces 2018 Hamburg winner Nikoloz Basilashvili.
(15) Gael Monfils vs. Andreas Seppi
Popular Frenchman Gael Monfils has had a career-long struggle with injuries. Since the beginning of this 2019 season, Monfils has already been forced out with a wrist and Achilles tendon problems. The veteran withdrew from the Indian Wells Masters prior to facing eventual champion Dominic Thiem before returning this past week in Estoril (lost to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarters).
His first foray onto the terre battue will see him across the net from familiar opponent Andreas Seppi. The Italian has endured a tough clay-court campaign in 2019, entering four such tournaments this year with a 0-4 record to show for his efforts. Last week, Seppi lost in the Munich first round to Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Provided that Monfils has sufficiently recovered from his most recent ailment, the Frenchman should advance with relative ease. Seppi is having a miserable time of it, and Monfils (when he’s not hurt) has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance this year.
Cheryl pick: Monfils in 2
Ricky pick: Monfils in 2
[polldaddy poll=10311663]
(14) Nikoloz Basilashvili vs. Frances Tiafoe
Nikoloz Basilashvili is ranked a career-high 17th in the world. The Georgian has enjoyed an impressive surge since last July, when he was ranked as low as No. 82. In fact, he owes a fair amount of success to his clay-court play and his out-of-nowhere title win in Hamburg last year. Ordinarily this would spell trouble for opponent Frances Tiafoe, if not for the fact that Basilashvili has played three clay-court tournaments since his big 2018 Hamburg victory with exactly one match win.
Unlike some American players, Tiafoe doesn’t avoid clay-court tennis. In fact, he made the final in Estoril last year. In this year’s edition, he bowed out in the quarterfinals to Pablo Cuevas–but he comes into Madrid warmed up on the dirt and seemingly ready to play.
This will be the first meeting between Basilashvili and Tiafoe. The American is just 21 years old and has burst on the scene as a promising new NextGen star. Basilashvili is a bit of a late bloomer, enjoying his best success at his current age of 27 years old.
Cheryl pick: Tiafoe in 3
Ricky pick: Tiafoe in 3
[polldaddy poll=10311497]
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