Monte Carlo awaits: Alcaraz – Djokovic, possible rooms

Draw drawn for the third Masters 1,000 of the season and all eyes pointing to the same place. Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic could face each other, being their first direct duel, in the quarterfinals of Monte Carlo (from April 10 to 17). The prodigy from El Palmar, who starts as the eighth seed, will have to overcome the winner of the Sebastian Korda – Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round and, in the round of 16, he could meet Taylor Fritzchampion in Indian Wells against Rafa Nadal, a hypothetical duel between the winners of the first Masters 1,000 of the season. Nole, for his part, could face before, already, with two members of the Navy. In the second round he will meet the winner of the Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – Marcos Giron and in the round of 16 he could collide with Roberto Bautista. Almost nothing.

A part of the table, the left, through which Casper Ruud (7th in the world), Cameron Norrie (10th) or Hubert Hurkacz (14th) also advance. All of them, possible candidates for a semifinal against Alcaraz or Djokovic, first starting favourite. The Serbian, who will compete again after the ATP 500 in Dubai, will begin the defense of number one without the presence of Daniil Medvedev, “one or two months” away from the competition after undergoing a hernia operation. Rafa Nadal, recovering from his cracked ribs, will not be either. “I need match rhythm. I haven’t had many encounters in the last few months. We’ll see what happens. When I have the opportunity to play, I will do it”, declared the Serbian after losing in the United Arab Emirates. In Monaco, he will play… and highly demanded.

Stefanos Tsitsipas (5º), current tournament champion, Alexander Zverev (2º), Andrey Rublev (8º), Jannik Sinner (9º) or Felix Auger-Aliassime (9º) will seek the final on the other side of the draw, the first of the European clay court tour, starting at the Monte-Carlo Country Club and ending in Paris. In this period of time, more learning, and who knows if great joy, for a radiant Alcaraz after winning in Miami. “We are not sure. We talk about this sometimes and he tells me that he is not sure now. I think when he’s 100% trained, he can maybe give a little more on clay. But let’s keep the door open that maybe he will be better on hard courts in the future”, explained Juan Carlos Ferrero, his coach, after the success in the United States. The time has come to check it. And in what way.