Daniil Medvedev faces Joao Sousa in a tough first-round test on Monday at the Monte-Carlo Masters, while Kyle Edmund takes on Diego Schwartzman. Edmund and Schwartzman squared off twice last year, but not on clay.
(10) Daniil Medvedev vs. Joao Sousa
Nobody wants to see Joao Sousa waiting for them in the first round of a clay-court event, but that is just who Daniil Medvedev will face on Monday as he begins his Monte-Carlo Masters bid. Sousa, currently ranked 51st in the world, is superbly fit with a fierce work ethic. He is a dangerous floater even on hard courts, but he is particularly dangerous on clay.
Medvedev is much higher-ranked than his Portuguese opponent. He sits at No. 14 in the world and he had an impressive start to his 2019 season with a title in Sofia and showings in the final of Brisbane and the semis in Rotterdam. The Russian was shellacked in Miami by eventual champion Roger Federer, but there is little to indicate slumping form.
Yet despite the delta in their rankings, this is not a sure win for Medvedev. He ran into Sousa on clay for the first time last year in Estoril, which Sousa won in tight straight sets. They won’t be playing on the Portuguese’s home turf this time, but they will be playing on his favorite surface. Expect a grinder of a match with the 10th seed just edging out Sousa in the end.
Cheryl pick: Medvedev in 3
Ricky pick: Sousa in 3
[polldaddy poll=10294871]
(17) Kyle Edmund vs. Diego Schwartzman
Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund nabbed a rare No. 17 seed at the Monte-Carlo Masters (there are usually only 16) with the withdrawal of Gael Monfils, but the seeding didn’t do much to assist him because he drew Diego Schwartzman in the opening round. Comically, Edmund is ranked No. 23 in the world and Schwartzman sits at No. 24.
In the great Argentine tradition, Schwartzman prefers playing on clay. He didn’t fare very well for most of the clay-court season in 2018–until he got to Roland Garros. There, he came somewhat out of nowhere to reach the quarterfinals, where he took a set from Rafael Nadal. He elected to play the South American clay court swing after the Australian Open this year and reached the final in Buenos Aires, so his dirt game is already clicking.
Edmund has had some promising results on the slow stuff. The Brit has never won a clay-court title, but last year in Marrakech he advanced to the final–losing to Pablo Andujar. He endured a miserable start to 2019, but his results improved when he moved into the first North American hard-court swing.
The two men have met twice, both last year on hard courts and split the wins. Surface and early season form would suggest that Schwartzman will have the upper hand in this one, but the Argentine isn’t always entirely predictable.
Cheryl pick: Schwartzman in 3
Ricky pick: Schwartzman in 3
[polldaddy poll=10294873]
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