Monte-Carlo Masters 1000
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Kei Nishikori over Pierre-Hugues Herbert
On Monday, Pierre-Hugues Herbert, the top doubles player in the world, topped 25-year-old Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 4 and 4 in a bit of a surprise to me. But his run is over, after that one good win. Kei Nishikori, the 5th seed, has the legs to run down everything, has the groundies to outslug Herbert, and has the drive to never say die. I like Nishikori in straight sets, but if it goes three, I like Nishikori more!
Rafa Nadal over Roberto Bautista Agut
Last I saw Rafa he was saying goodbye early before a much-anticipated semi-final contest with Roger Federer on the hard courts at Indian Wells. His knees were only solid enough to withstand four straight set wins, the last over Karen Khachanov in two tiebreakers, but no more. After a month’s rest and now on clay, we’ll see how his wheels are. If they’re healthy, he’ll take out RBA, although I expect this match to be a showstopper. Bautista Agut lost the first set on Monday to John Millman before finding his footing and winning the last two sets, giving up only two games combined. He’s tough, he’s good, and he’s healthy, so if Rafa is the least bit hurt, RBA will make him pay for it. My guess is, though, that Rafa wouldn’t have entered this tournament, and put his entire clay court season in jeopardy, if he wasn’t ready to fight to the death.
Dominick Thiem over Martin Klizan
Dominick Thiem is the second best clay court player in the world, if getting to last year’s French Open finals is any indication of ability and performance. Additionally, just four weeks ago he took out Roger Federer in the finals of Indian Wells to take home over $1.3 million and gain 1,000 ranking points. Martin Klizan, the Slovakian currently ranked No. 50 doesn’t have the clay court game to topple Thiem here. He’s in the second round because of a 7-6, 7-5 first round win over qualifier Federico Delbonis, which was very competitive and not totally decisive. Thiem should roll.
Stefanos Tsitsipas over Mikhail Kukushkin
Tsitsipas is 3-0, lifetime, over Russian Mikhail Kukushkin, but all the matches were close. Kukushkin took out Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 3 and 4 in the first round here, but Chardy is no Tsitsipas. The 6th seeded Tsitsipas has a great all-court game, and I don’t know if it makes any difference what surface he plays on, Tsitsipas has the game well suited to take on all comers. I like the Greek God here, of course.
Grigor Dimitrov over Jan-Lennard Struff
Struff won a terrific first round battle over Canadian Denis Shapovalov and has earned this challenge of taking on Dimitrov in the second round. Dimitrov, the Bulgarian who lives in South Florida, took a decisive straight set win over Matteo Berretini to move into Round Two. These guys have an interesting history, with each of them holding a win in Tour matches, and Dimitrov taking an earlier qualifying match between the two. This could be considered to be a toss-up, except that I think Dimitrov’s groundies are better suited for this surface than Struff’s. Of course, Dimitrov has never lived up to his “Top Five” potential, so we’ll see who wants this match more.
David Goffin over Dusan Lajovic
Lajovic overcame Tunisia’s 35-year old Malek Jaziri, ranked No. 71 in his first match, while Goffin had a relatively easy time with Argentina’s Guido Andreozzi, ranked No. 84. Both will find this match much more competitive. But Goffin is a winner, and took the only match he’s had with Serbia’s Lajovic pretty easily, and I think Goffin won’t let this match get away from him. Although Lajovic is playing the best tennis of his career, I think Goffin has too many weapons for the Serbian. This might go three, but Goffin should triumph.
Diego Schwartzman over Taylor Fritz
Taylor Fritz deserves an awful lot of credit for just playing in this tournament, as he is the only American willing to give this clay court event even a try. But more than that, by taking out the injured Jo-Willie Tsonga yesterday in a first round clash, Fritz became the first Yank to win a match here in eleven years! Now, I’ve heard of history being made by winning tournaments, but this is the first time I’m writing about history being made by winning a match! Even so, Diego Schwartzman has a much better clay court game than Fritz, and I expect the Argentine to give Fritz a lesson on the slow stuff. Schwartzman had a miraculous comeback Monday against Kyle Edmund, being down 6-0, 3-0, before reeling off 12 out of the next 13 games to move in to the second round. I don’t think he’ll need that kind of fortitude in this one, but if it’s needed, Schwartzman is that determined.