It’s deja vu all over again for Novak Djokovic and Lorenzo Musetti, who also faced each other in the Monte-Carlo third round last year. Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev battles Stefanos Tsitsipas for a quarterfinal spot on Thursday.
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. Lorenzo Musetti
Djokovic and Musetti will be squaring off for the fifth time in their careers and for the second straight season in round three of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters when they meet again on Thursday. Although Djokovic leads the head-to-head series 3-1, Musetti pulled off a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 upset 12 months ago in the same round of this same tournament. The Italian also came close–somewhat–of stunning Djokovic at the 2021 French Open, where the Serb recovered from two sets down before getting retirement up 4-0 in the fifth.
Musetti is once again playing well in the principality, having already taken out Taylor Fritz and Arthur Fils in routine straight sets this week. Still, the world No. 24 is just 9-10 this season–and even worse news for him is his opponent’s opening performance. After losing early in Indian Wells to lucky loser Luca Nardi and skipping Miami, Djokovic made a statement with a 6-1, 6-2 rout of Roman Safiullin on Tuesday. The 36-year-old looks motivated for a third Monte-Carlo title (he has won every other Masters 1000 event at least three times), but reaching the quarters may not be easy against a familiar foe who loves clay.
Pick: Djokovic in 3
(5) Alexander Zverev vs. (12) Stefanos Tsitsipas
A return to Monte-Carlo may be just what the doctor ordered for Tsitsipas. The Greek has not reached a final this season and has advanced to quarterfinals only twice; he has not captured a title since last summer in Los Cabos. However, this is arguably the world No. 12’s favorite tournament. He lifted the trophy in both 2021 and 2022 before reaching the quarters last spring. Tsitsipas has eased past Laslo Djere and Tomas Martin Etcheverry so far this week, delivering an especially impressive 6-1, 6-0 beatdown of Etcheverry on Wednesday.
Of course, the competition level increases in a big way with Zverev on the other side of the net. The German is 19-6 in 2024 after making quick 6-3, 6-4 work of Sebastian Ofner on Tuesday. Zverev advanced to the quarters in Indian Wells and the semis in Miami, so he is in stellar form heading into a clay-court swing on which he has enjoyed plenty of success in the past. He is a two-time champion in Madrid, a one-time winner of Rome, and a two-time semifinalist in Monte-Carlo. Although Zverev trails the head-to-head series 9-5, it is all tied up 4-4 in their last eight meetings. The world No. 5 may have a slight edge in what should be one of the best matches of the entire tournament.
Pick: Zverev in 3
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