Despite a number of significant absences, the first clay Masters of the season is still promising many exciting match-ups. As always, we here at LWOT will preview and predict every match. Who do you think will win their openers at ATP Monte Carlo?
ATP Monte Carlo Day 2 Predictions
Cameron Norrie vs Francisco Cerundolo
Head-to-head: Norrie 1-0 Cerundolo
Norrie tore through the Golden Swing, reaching the final of Buenos Aires and winning the title in Rio, with both tournaments capped by meetings with Carlos Alcaraz. The Brit has shown that he is a threat on clay but has been dealt a tough hand in the opening round here though. Cerundolo has underperformed on clay this season, failing to get past the quarterfinal stage in four tournaments throughout the Golden Swing. The young Argentine is a natural on clay and will be a tough out for Norrie, though the Brit won their previous meeting last year in Lyon.
Prediction: Norrie in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Maxime Cressy vs Matteo Berrettini
Head-to-head: first meeting
Cressy is biding time until the grass season with his game style usually unsuccessful on clay. Berrettini has not looked right since his five-set loss to Andy Murray at the Australian Open though. The Italian retired from Acapulco quarterfinals with a right-leg injury, and lost his openers at both Indian Wells and Miami with a quarterfinal showing at the Phoenix Challenger in between. Though he failed to win either of his two previous matches in Monte Carlo, clay suits Berrettini a lot more than Cressy so I expect a debut win in Monaco from the former No. 6.
Prediction: Berrettini in 2
Embed from Getty Images
Ivan Gakhov vs Mackenzie McDonald
Head-to-head: first meeting
After winning his first Challenger title last week, 26-year-old Russian leftie Ivan Gakhov is making his Masters 1000 debut. The World No. 186 had a wild qualifying run, beating Adrian Mannarino 1-6 6-0 6-1 and Lucas Van Assche 6-3 0-6 6-2. Gakhov had never qualified for an ATP event before, making his main draw debut in Kitzbuhel last year as a lucky loser. The 26-year-old. has been an ITF player for most of the past decade, winning his first title at just 17 years old, and going on to win 14 in 29 finals. Outside of a couple of decent showings at Roland Garros, McDonald has been a mostly poor clay players on the main tour. The American has had a decent first three months, beating Rafael Nadal to reach the third round of the Australian Open, making semifinals at Delray Beach, and most recently taking out Matteo Berrettini to reach the third round in Miami. Gakhov certainly has a chance for a debut main tour win here, and I believe he will take it.
Prediction: Gakhov in 3
Embed from Getty Images
Richard Gasquet vs Dominic Thiem
Head-to-head: Gasquet 2-2 Thiem
The fifth battle of these two one-handed backhands. The 36-year-old Gasquet won the first two on indoor hard back in 2015 and 2017 with Thiem winning their only outdoor meeting at Beijing 2019 before leveling up the score in Metz last year. Coming into their first clay meeting, neither Gasquet nor Thiem comes in with form. The Frenchman won his 16th ATP title to start the year in Auckland but has failed to win back-to-back matches since. Thiem was 1-9 on the year coming into Estoril, where he managed to reach the quarterfinals in his final tournament with Nicolas Massu as coach. Gasquet, a Monte Carlo semifinalist in 2005, has reached the quarterfinals or better four times in Monaco, including his last appearance here back in 2018. Thiem also made the final eight that season, his best run in Monte Carlo so far in his career. I expect a close match of variable quality with the Austrian coming out victorious.
Prediction: Thiem in 3
Main Photo Credit: Susan Mullane/USA Today Sports
