The first clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event of 2023 will continue on Tuesday at the Monte Carlo Masters. Day 3 features a mix of intriguing first and second round encounters in Monaco. Who do you think will make it through?
ATP Monte Carlo Day 3 Predictions
Alexander Bublik vs Alexander Zverev
Head-to-head: Bublik 2-0 Zverev
Bublik will play his first match on clay since last year’s French Open, after making a disappointing 4-12 start to the year. The 25-year-old holds an 11-20 main tour career record on his worst surface. Zverev will feature on clay for the first time since suffering a horrific ankle injury during his 2022 Roland Garros semifinal with Rafael Nadal. Bublik won both the pair’s previous meetings in straight sets on indoor hard courts, a very different surface to the slow Monte Carlo clay. Zverev’s greater consistency, patience and overall clay-court pedigree should see him earn his first win against the Kazakh.
Prediction: Zverev in 2
Ugo Humbert vs Lorenzo Sonego
Head-to-head: 1-0 Humbert
Humbert holds an underwhelming 8-18 tour record on clay, but earned two victories to qualify for the Masters 1000 event. The Frenchman impressively saw off former Monte Carlo finalist Dusan Lajovic in three sets in the final qualifying round. Sonego holds a 38-38 career record on the surface and a strong 63% win rate in Monte Carlo, having reached the last eight as a qualifier in 2019. The Italian’s heavy forehand gives him an edge over the flat-hitting Humbert, who prefers quicker, lower-bouncing courts.
Prediction: Sonego in 3
Valentin Vacherot vs Luca Nardi
Head-to-head: First meeting
Monegasque wildcard Vacherot will compete in the main draw of an ATP tournament for the first time. The 24-year-old won his only Challenger Tour title in Thailand last year and has won four ITF events. Nardi has won just one of his eight tour matches to date, but won three Challenger events last year and was a runner-up at that level in February. The Italian secured three-set wins over Constant Lestienne and Oscar Otte to qualify. The talented 19-year-old should have a bit too much for the home favorite.
Prediction: Nardi in 2
Novak Djokovic vs Ivan Gakhov
Head-to-head: First meeting
Djokovic will play his first event since losing to Daniil Medvedev in the Dubai semifinals last month, having missed Indian Wells and Miami. The Monte Carlo Masters is Djokovic’s worst Masters 1000 event by win percentage (73%). The Serb has lost in the third round or earlier in four of his last six appearances. Gakhov qualified by beating French duo Adrian Mannarino and Luca van Assche in three sets. The 26-year-old Russian then overcame Mackenzie McDonald in three sets in the opening round on his ATP Masters main draw debut. Despite Djokovic’s poor recent record at the event, the World No. 1 should be too good for an opponent lacking experience at this level.
Prediction: Djokovic in 2
Main Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
