The European clay-court swing will get underway in earnest this week with at first of three clay-court Masters 1000. It promises to be an entertaining first day in the Principality and, as always, we here at LWOT will be offering our predictions for every first-round match. But who will secure their spot in the round of 32 at the ATP Monte Carlo Masters?
ATP Monte Carlo Day 1 Predictions
Borna Coric vs Nicolas Jarry
Head-to-head: first meeting
Somewhat surprisingly given their relative closeness in age, this will be the first meeting between Borna Coric and Nicolas Jarry in the professional game. Jarry will be looking to get back to winning ways after a surprise first-round loss in Marrakech, but having thrilled the crowds by winning the title in Santiago in his native Chile last month one suspects he will not be unduly concerned if he does fall to Coric here. For Coric, defeat would be more concerning.
The Croatian had a good week in Dubai, reaching the quarterfinals, but he followed that with back-to-back defeats in Indian Wells and Miami, which have been happy hunting grounds for him in the past. That leaves him with a record of just 7-6 heading into the clay-court season. That is less than impressive for a player of his abilities. Unfortunately for Coric, he has received a tough first-round draw here up against a player in a fine fettle. Expect Jarry to have the edge here.
Prediction: Jarry in 3
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Marc-Andrea Huesler vs Jaume Munar
Head-to-head: first meeting
This match should make for an entertaining clash of styles. Marc-Andrea Huesler is never afraid to step in and dictate. For the Swiss, it is invariably a case of live by the sword, die by the sword, but that has worked well enough for him over the last 12 months and he is currently ranked inside the top 50. Jaume Munar is more cautious by nature, relying on his solid groundstrokes and excellent court coverage to grind out wins.
That has limited his progress up the rankings, with the Spaniard’s career-high position of world #52 a reflection of his struggles against the best in the game. But this looks like a winnable match for him. Huesler has the power to hit through Munar, but the Swiss will need to redline on the red clay and go for the lines. That is a risky proposition. Huesler can play on the clay, he’s won four Challengers on the surface after all, but Munar should be able to force enough errors from the Huesler racquet to advance.
Prediction: Munar in 3
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Hubert Hurkacz vs Laslo Djere
Head-to-head: first meeting
Another surprising first meeting will pit Hubert Hurkacz against Laslo Djere. Hurkacz’s clay-court season got off to a disappointing start as he crashed out in his opener in Estoril, a defeat which came hot on the heels of early exits in Indian Wells and Miami. Consequently, if he is not exactly in need of a win, he could certainly use one. Djere is not the ideal first-round opposition however. The Serbian is at his best on the clay and played some solid tennis during the Golden Swing.
Hurkacz should probably still be winnining this match. Djere is a very hard worker and will give little away from the baseline, but he does not have any weapons that can really hurt Hurkacz. The Pole, in contrast, may have a weak forehand by the standards of the tour, but he boasts an excellent backhand and serve, as well as some of the best hands in the men’s game. If he can play his best tennis, or something close to it, he should have too much for Djere. But expect this to go the distance.
Prediction: Hurkacz in 3
Main photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
