A jam-packed day of second-round motion in Monte-Carlo includes a showdown between Andrey Rublev and Gael Monfils. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Tomas Martin Etcheverry are additionally aiming for a spot within the final 16.
(7) Andrey Rublev vs. Gael Monfils
Andrey Rublev has positioned himself as some of the unpredictable gamers of the season. He received the title in Doha again in February however suffered two opening losses in Indian Wells and Miami. He has since introduced fellow Russian and two-time main winner Marat Safin into his teaching fold. Whether or not this choice ends in a change in fortunes for the struggling No. 7 seed has but to be decided.
Rublev has historically had good outcomes on the grime. He holds six profession titles on clay, together with his first Masters crown in Monte-Carlo again in 2023. The difficulty is that he has performed diabolically poor tennis prior to now six weeks–and he takes on crowd favourite Gael Monfils at what quantities to a house match.
Monfils is ranked forty fourth on this planet, however he’s in much better kind than Rublev proper now. He boasts a 14-5 document on the season and already one title to point out for his efforts. The Russian owns a 2-1 lifetime edge over Monfils, however their final assembly got here in 2023–lengthy earlier than Monfils had his renaissance. The end result of this match might come down as to if Safin’s presence offers Rublev a lift or introduces extra chaos.
Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry will battle in-form Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina within the Monte-Carlo second spherical. DavidovichFokina had a strong win over Ben Shelton within the first spherical, although the American is understood to wrestle on clay and Davidovich Fokina is a lot snug, although not a typical Spanish clay court docket participant.Â
Picture credit score – The Dallas Open on the Frisco Star
Etcheverry has had dismal outcomes this spring, together with three first-round losses in a row coming into this week. The Argentine is ranked forty sixth, however his outcomes have been worse than his rating suggests–as he’s 7-10 on the season. Etcheverry dispatched qualifier Corentin Moutet within the first spherical to arrange this match towards Davidovich Fokina.
Davidovich Fokina is solely taking part in higher tennis proper now. With the Spaniard having fun with a few of his finest kind in latest reminiscence and with a 2-0 head-to-head document over Etcheverry, he ought to advance in snug vogue.
