Top-seeded Djokovic could face Medvedev in Monte-Carlo semi-finals

Novak Djokovic will lead the field at the first Masters 1000 stop of the clay swing, scheduled to be played at the namesake club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, between 9 and 16 April, after returning to the ATP Tour this week at the Monte-Carlo Masters. The top-seeded Serbian could face inform Italian Jannik Sinner in the […]

by Priyank Chandram - April 8, 2023, 3:16 pm

Novak Djokovic will lead the field at the first Masters 1000 stop of the clay swing, scheduled to be played at the namesake club in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France, between 9 and 16 April, after returning to the ATP Tour this week at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

The top-seeded Serbian could face inform Italian Jannik Sinner in the quarterfinals before facing Miami champion Daniil Medvedev in the Monte-Carlo semifinals. Djokovic, who wants to keep his No. 1 ranking, will face either Brandon Nakashima or Mackenzie McDonald in the first round. The world No. 1 could face 16th seed Lorenzo Musetti in the third round. The 35-year-old defeated Musetti in a five-set thriller at Roland Garros in 2021. Djokovic has won the Monaco Open twice, in 2013 and 2015.

Jannik Sinner arrives in Monte Carlo after reaching his second ATP Masters 1000 final, this time in Miami. He will play Diego Schwartzman or David Goffin in his first clay-court tournament of 2023. Medvedev has a 29-3 record this season and four trophies to his name. Chasing his first clay-court title, the third seed will face Italian wild card Lorenzo Sonego or a qualifier in his opening match before facing German Alexander Zverev in the third round. Medvedev currently leads the Pepperstone ATP Live Race to Turin.

Holger Rune, who won his first Masters 1000 title in Paris last year, could face Medvedev in the quarterfinals. The sixth seed will face either wild card Dominic Thiem or Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the first round. The Dane could face Cameron Norrie or Matteo Berrettini in the third round.

Chasing his third consecutive title in Monte-Carlo, Stefanos Tsitsipas anchors the bottom half of the draw. The second seed, who is 12-2 in the Principality, will face Benjamin Bonzi or Bernabe Zapata Miralles in his opening match before facing eighth-seeded American Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals. Fritz will face either 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka or Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the first round.

The fourth seed, Casper Ruud, won eight of his nine tour-level titles on clay. In his first match in Monte-Carlo, the 2021 semi-finalist faces Botic van de Zandschulp or a qualifier, and he could face former World No. 1 Andy Murray in the third round. Fifth seed Andrey Rublev, who reached the Monte-Carlo final in 2021, could be the Norwegian’s quarterfinal opponent. Murray plays 14th seed Alex de Minaur in the first round, while Miami semi-finalist Karen Khachanov takes on 2022 Monte-Carlo finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.