Monte-Carlo QF previews and predictions: Nadal vs. Thiem, Dimitrov vs. Goffin

It will be an all-too-early showdown between Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem when the familiar foes face each other again, this time in the Monte-Carlo quarterfinals. Doubles partners Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin are also set for an intriguing contest.

(1) Rafael Nadal vs. (5) Dominic Thiem

Nadal vs. Thiem was the best clay-court rivalry of 2017–if it can be said that Nadal ever has a “rival” on this surface–and more of the same appears to be in the cards for this season. Arguably the two best dirt-ballers in the world will square off for the eighth time in their careers when they meet again in the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters on Friday afternoon. Nadal is leading the head-to-head series 5-2 overall after compiling a 3-1 record last year (the entirety of which came during the clay-court swing). The Spaniard got the job done in Barcelona, Madrid, and Roland Garros while falling to Thiem in Rome.

Having previously triumphed in Monte-Carlo, Barcelona, and Madrid, Nadal was clearly fatigued in his Rome setback against the Austrian. There will be no such issues this time around for the world No. 1, who is well-rested after missing much of 2018’s first three months due to a hip injury sustained in the Australian Open semis. He is off to a roaring start on the red stuff, with Davis Cup routs of Philipp Kohlschreiber and Alexander Zverev plus Monte-Carlo victories over Aljaz Bedene and Karen Khachanov. This is and already has been a nightmarish draw for Thiem, but he has successfully navigated it so far with comebacks from a set down in each of his first two outings. The world No. 7 saved one match point in a 5-7, 7-5, 7-5 win over Andrey Rublev before beating Novak Djokovic 6-7(2), 6-2, 6-3 on Thursday. Like Nadal, Thiem is returning from an injury. He retired in Indian Wells due to a knee problem and skipped Miami before getting back in action on his favorite surface. Clearly not quite at his best and also coming off a two-hour, 29-minute affair with Djokovic, Thiem may be in for a long day at the office against the 10-time Monte-Carlo champion.

Pick: Nadal in 2

[polldaddy poll=9985223]

(4) Grigor Dimitrov vs. (6) David Goffin

It will be a showdown between doubles partners–who are playing together later on Friday–when Dimitrov and Goffin collide for the eighth time in their careers. This is also a rematch of last year’s Nitto ATP Finals championship match, which Dimitrov won 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 for the biggest title of his professional life. The fifth-ranked Bulgarian, who also beat Goffin during round-robin competition at the O2 Arena, is a dominant 6-1 in the head-to-head series at the ATP level after getting a retirement from the Belgian a couple of months ago in the Rotterdam semifinals.

A freak eye injury in that contest shelved Goffin for the rest of February, prevented him from playing in Indian Wells, and contributed to an opening 6-1, 6-0 loss to Joao Sousa in Miami. The world No. 10 is finally regaining momentum in Monte-Carlo, where he punched his ticket to the quarterfinals with straight-set victories over Stefanos Tsitsipas and Roberto Bautista Agut. Dimitrov was 1-4 in his last five matches heading into this week, but he has advanced with three-set defeats of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Philipp Kohlschreiber. The fourth seed had not reached a clay-court quarterfinal since finishing runner-up at the 2016 Istanbul event, a stretch of eight tournaments with no quarterfinal trips. Goffin, on the other hand, was a Monte-Carlo semifinalist last spring and made a run to the Madrid quarters–losing only to Nadal on both occasions. The surface should help Goffin gain traction is his comeback and start turning the tide in his head-to-head history against Dimitrov.

Pick: Goffin in 3

[polldaddy poll=9985121]