The Monte-Carlo Masters gets off to a Sunday start, with Thanasi Kokkinakis back in action following his Miami upset of Roger Federer. Kokkinakis is facing Karen Khachanov, while Mischa Zverev is going up against Felix Auger-Aliassime.
(WC) Thanasi Kokkinakis vs. Karen Khachanov
Khachanov and Kokkinakis will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they clash in round one of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Sunday afternoon. Kokkinakis is coming off a shocking upset of Roger Federer in Miami, where he eventually lost to Fernando Verdasco in the third round. The 22-year-old Australian is slowly making his way back from a myriad of injury problems and he currently registers at No. 148 in the world–almost 30 spots better than when he arrived in Miami.
It is no surprise that these two youngsters have never faced each other, as Kokkinakis was sidelined when Khachanov truly arrived on tour. The 21-year-old has worked his way up to 40th in the rankings, good enough to put himself in the mix for seeding at the French Open and Wimbledon. Khachanov is a decent 12-7 this season with a title on the indoor hard courts of Marseille. Clay also represents a surface advantage for the Russian, who won 13 matches on the slow stuff in 2017 and reached the fourth round at Roland Garros.
Pick: Khachanov in 2
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Mischa Zverev vs. (WC) Felix Auger-Aliassime
The youngest player ever to win a match on the Challenger Tour, the 17-year-old Auger-Aliassime is hoping to start making a name for himself at the ATP level. Just 1-3 lifetime in main-draw action on the main tour, the Canadian registers at No. 176 in the world. One of his most productive events yet came at the recent Indian Wells Masters, where he successfully qualified, beat Vasek Pospisil, and then lost to another compatriot in Milos Raonic. Thereafter, however, Auger-Aliassime lost right away in Miami qualifying and fell in round two of a clay-court Challenger event in Spain.
Up first in Monte-Carlo for the teenager is a showdown with Zverev, whom he has never faced. The 30-year-old German comes in at a solid ranking off 55th thanks mostly to 2017 success, but his 2018 campaign has been a disaster. Zverev’s 4-10 record includes six first-round exits and a recent second-round setback against Malek Jaziri on the red clay of Casablanca. On a surface that makes it tough for the veteran to implement his serve-and-volley style, this is a huge opportunity for Auger-Aliassime to take advantage of a struggling opponent and pick up his second ATP victory.
Pick: Auger-Aliassime in 2
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