A spring clay-court swing is actually happening this year. It may look a little different with little to no fans in attendance depending on the particular tournament, and the schedule toward the end is in flux with the recent French Open postponement–but at least it’s happening at all. While some clay-court events on the original 2020 schedule were moved from April and May to September and October, most of them were canceled altogether—Monte-Carlo included.
This time around, the Masters 1000 event on the coast of Monaco is back in its rightful place in the second week of the clay-court season. It boasts a strong field, too. Both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal skipped the Miami Open among with many other players, but they are returning to action in Monte-Carlo. Nadal is actually seeded third behind Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, followed by Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev, Andrey Rublev, Diego Schwartzman, and Matteo Berrettini.
Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters
Where: Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Surface: Clay
Points: 1000
Prize money: 2,082,960 Euros
Top seed: Novak Djokovic
Defending champion: Fabio Fognini
Draw analysis: As the No. 3 seed, Nadal could have landed in the same half of the draw as Djokovic. But that did not turn out to be the case, so a final between the top two favorites remains possible. Medvedev does not appear to be much of a threat on clay at this point in time, which means Nadal’s toughest test prior to the title match may be Rublev in the quarters. The Russian is red hot, but his Monte-Carlo draw is not friendly. In order to get a shot at Nadal, Rublev would likely have to get past Roberto Bautista Agut in round three. Meanwhile, among those looking to take advantage of Medvedev’s section are Schwartzman, Fabio Fognini, Casper Ruud, and Filip Krajinovic.
Djokovic probably won’t be able to waste any time getting in gear on clay because his opening match could come against Miami runner-up Jannik Sinner. Already a force on multiple surfaces, the 19-year-old Italian also made a run to the French Open quarterfinals last fall. A stacked top half of the Monte-Carlo bracket also features Tsitsipas, Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Aslan Karatsev, Lorenzo Musetti, dangerous clay-court specialist Cristian Garin, Miami champion Hubert Hurkacz, and current Cagliari finalist Lorenzo Sonego. Intriguing first-rounders are Karatsev vs. Musetti, Garin vs. Auger-Aliassime, and Sonego vs. Marton Fucsovics.
First-round upset alert: Jan-Lennard Struff over (14) Grigor Dimitrov. The head-to-head series on the main tour is tied up at 2-2, with Struff having taken two of their three previous clay-court encounters. Dimitrov has cooled off a bit with an Acapulco quarterfinal loss to Musetti and an opening setback in Miami at the hands of Cameron Norrie, both in straight sets. Struff already has some clay-court action under his belt, too, having advanced to the quarterfinals in Cagliari.
Hot: Novak Djokovic, Andrey Rublev, Roberto Bautista Agut, Hubert Hurkacz, Jannik Sinner, Lorenzo Musetti, Lorenzo Sonego, Aslan Karatsev, Marton Fucsovics, Jeremy Chardy,
Cold: Matteo Berrettini, Gael Monfils, Fabio Fognini, Benoit Paire, Lucas Pouille, Guido Pella
Quarterfinal predictions: Alexander Zverev over Novak Djokovic, Stefanos Tsitsipas over Matteo Berrettini, Rafael Nadal over Andrey Rublev, and Diego Schwartzman over Filip Krajinovic
Semifinals: Tsitsipas over Zverev and Nadal over Schwartzman
Final: Nadal over Tsitsipas
who ya got?
Big upsets likely apart from Nadal
Agree. There’s a high probability ND underperforms but you wouldn’t want to bet your life on it. Tsitsipas still feels vulnerable to me. He won’t want to run into Sinner again, early in the clay season.
Hurkacz isn’t as strong on clay so not expecting much form him. He’s a good lay opportunity, bookies will be using his recent hard form as a guide.
Sinner should improve even more back on his strongest surface but obviously has one the greatest tests ahead of him. That should be a 3-setter.
Goffin might be a test for Zverev if he gets through. Goffin prefers the clay and i looking ti improve. Zverev is most vulnerable on the clay surface. That has upset written all over it.
Tsitipas’s draw looks challenging to me. Musetti, then probably Humbert and then DF or Berretini. That’s a tough draw for someone still in search of confidence.
DF could be the money man in that section.
Nadal will destroy Rublev in the quarters.
Schwartzman can make the semis.
Sorry who is DF…pardon me
Davidovich Fokina I guess.
Medvedev can’t win that quarter on clay. He’s an excellent lay opportunity.
DF could make the quarters or semis. A couple of years on tour now and has been improving. He’s one to watch.
Djokovic would rather not play Sinner this early, so maybe that has given him the motivation he needs the pre-clay season. Djokovic usually loses early when he doesn’t see it coming.
Welcome back Monte Carlo! We’ve missed you!
I kind of feel like if djokovic gets past sinner he’d find a way to get to rafa in the finals
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/felix-uncle-toni-monte-carlo-2021-reaction
Djokovic is cold, he hasn’t played since February. Skipping the first round won’t do him any good. Sinner was more of a threat to Rafa than Novak at RG 2020 and he’s playing even better and with more confidence now. Assuming that he adjusts fast enough to clay, Jannik to make the semi-finals but probably get beaten by Tsitsipas.
Sinner great chance to beat Nole