While Day 2 was rainy at the ATP Monte Carlo Masters, Day 3 promises to not disappoint! The matchups are incredible and the tennis promises to be extremely high quality. Who will win and who will fall short? I give my best guesses below!
We also predict the rest of the day’s matches, in articles featuring Aslan Karatsev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas and Albert Ramos vs Jannik Sinner.
ATP Monte Carlo Day 3 Predictions
Pablo Andujar vs Alexei Popyrin
Head to Head: never played
Pablo Andujar hasn’t played since losing in the first round of the ATP 250 in Santiago during the Golden Swing. Andujar is a veteran clay courter and will surely be up for this match. Alexei Popyrin did well to qualify for Monte Carlo, beating Romain Arneodo and Yannick Hanfmann. Hanfmann is a good clay court player and Popyrin showed a lot of promise in coming back from a set down to win that match.
These two have never played before. Andujar controls the baseline on clay well and is consistent. Popyrin has more explosive groundstrokes, but is a more up-and-down player. However, I really liked what I saw from Popyrin against Hanfmann. Popyrin’s first serve was cranked up during qualifying, winning at least 73% of his first serve points in both qualifying matches. The Aussie has also has had a great season, winning his first ATP title in Singapore, and has brought his good form to the clay. Andujar is a very tough customer, but I like Popyrin to hit through Andujar’s solid baseline play and snag this match.
Prediction: Popyrin in 3
Holger Rune vs Casper Ruud
Head to Head: never played
Holger Rune will be looking to make good use of yet another wild card when he battles Casper Ruud in Monte Carlo. Rune will be looking to pick up some good form after having lot four of his past five matches. Casper Ruud had a disappointing straight sets defeat to Carlos Alcaraz in his previous tournament in Marbella. Ruud only won 50% of his first serve points and 48% of his second serve points during that match.
These two have never played before. Rune has a big forehand, but has massive fitness issues and a backhand that can break down easily. Casper Ruud’s forehand is very heavy and hard to handle and his backhand is more solid than Rune’s. Despite the weak service effort against Alcaraz, his heavy serve can usually wreak havoc on clay. There’s nothing that Rune does better than Ruud and this should be a straightforward victory for the Norwegian.
Prediction: Ruud in 2
Pablo Carreno Busta vs Stefano Travaglia
Head to Head: 1-0 Carreno Busta
Pablo Carreno Busta had an excellent week in Marbella, taking the final in three sets over Jaume Munar. Carreno Busta did a good job getting the first serve in in Marbella, making over 70% of his first serves in 3 of the 4 matches he played last week. Stefano Travaglia played well during his Monte Carlo qualifying campaign. The Italian had impressive victories over Sumit Nagal and Kamil Majchrzak to make the main draw.
Carreno Busta leads the head to head 1-0, but that match was in 2014, so it’s irrelevant. Travaglia has a big first serve and a good forehand, but Carreno Busta’s rally tolerance, ability to turn defense into offense, and tennis IQ all make him a solid favorite to advance to the next round. He should be able to blunt the Travaglia game and move on in Monte Carlo.
Prediction: Carreno Busta in 2
Roberto Bautista Agut vs Taylor Fritz
Head to Head: 4-1 Bautista Agut
Roberto Bautista Agut will be playing his first clay court match of the season in Monte Carlo. Bautista Agut did have a lot of success on the slower courts of Miami in his previous tournament, making the semifinals before falling to Jannik Sinner. Taylor Fritz played well last week in Sardinia, reaching the semifinals before losing to Lorenzo Sonego from a set up. Fritz returned serve very well during that tournament, breaking serve a combined 13 times in the three matches he played.
Bautista Agut leads the head to head 4-1, although it’s split 1-1 on clay. Bautista Agut is more solid from the baseline compared to Fritz and should force the American to overhit. While Fritz has the bigger game, on clay, that’s not as important as being steady. Bautista Agut’s 4 victories over Fritz have all come in straight sets and I see this one going similarly. Bautista Agut moves on.
Prediction: Bautista Agut in 2
Main Photo from Getty.
