(Monte-Carlo) The first clay-court tournament of the season that will lead to Roland-Garros (May 28-June 11), the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 does not necessarily prefigure what’s next, but several things stand out: failures of Djokovic and Tsitsipas in the triumph of Rublev, inventory.
The coronation of Andrey Rublev, 6th in the world, is a half surprise. The Russian, twice quarter-finalist at Roland-Garros in 2020 and 2022, had already played two Masters 1000 finals in 2021, in Monte-Carlo then Cincinnati. Each time it had been swept away.
“I feel like I can improve a lot. Today I won the title. So the objective remains the same: to work hard and in the current direction to try to progress as much as possible,” he underlined Sunday after his victory in three sets against Holger Rune.
The Dane confirmed that he intended to give himself the means of his ambitions to become the best. He had a double-break point to lead 5-1 in the deciding set in the final.
“Yes, but I couldn’t conclude […]. I have to see what I did wrong, what I can do better, and move on because the most important tournament on clay is Roland-Garros and what matters is to be ready for this tournament. there, ”analyzed the Dane.
Winner of the Masters 1000 in Paris in November having beaten Novak Djokovic in the final, the one who will celebrate his 20th birthday on April 29 can boast of having clearly dominated in Monte-Carlo, Daniil Medvedev (4th) then Jannik Sinner (8th).
The latter also succeeded in his transition between the hard American (half in Indian Wells, final in Miami) and clay, even if he failed in the half in the Principality, after a sacred showdown against Rune.
Rafael Nadal worried. The king of the land, fallen to 14th in the world, gave up at the last moment to play in the Principality, where he holds the record for titles (11). And, during the tournament, he also announced his withdrawal from Barcelona this week, still insufficiently recovered from the hip injury he has suffered since losing the second round of the Australian Open in January.
He only has the Masters 1000 in Madrid and Rome left before Roland-Garros where he will aim for a fifteenth title, to bring to 23 the record of Grand Slam titles that he co-holds with Djokovic.
He will celebrate his 37th birthday on June 3, in full Major on earth.
Carlos Alcaraz (2nd) also extended his recovery to the detriment of a participation in Monte-Carlo. But, unlike his compatriot, the young Spaniard, who will turn 20 on May 5, is aligned with Barcelona.
Last year, after a grueling American tour (like this year), he was eliminated from entry to Monte-Carlo before winning Barcelona and Madrid.
The unknown Djokovic. An injury to his right arm in training two days before his start probably cut his wings.
The Serb, who has won only two of his 38 Masters 1000 (record) in Monte-Carlo, appeared particularly dejected after his defeat in the eighth.
“What I feel after playing like that is really awful,” he admitted, not wanting to mention his arm.
Stefanos Tsitsipas (5th) also fell from above. Double title holder, he trumpeted his love of the ground before the start of the tournament, but was stopped in the quarters by the American Taylor Fritz (10th), yet not a fan of this surface.
The Norwegian Casper Ruud (3rd) seems for the moment far from the level which had allowed him to be a finalist at Roland-Garros last year. After winning the Estoril tournament by beating underage players there, he fell ingloriously in the round of 16 in Monte-Carlo against Jan-Lennard Struff (64th).
Alexander Zverev (16th) had not played on clay since his retirement from injury in the semi-finals last year at Roland-Garros when he was having a hard time with Nadal.
The German did not return to competition until January in Australia and admitted in the Principality that he was not yet at the level of last year at Roland, when he played “the best tennis in (his ) life “.
“I have to get used to playing on gravel again, to sliding,” he explained after his first-round victory over the whimsical Alexander Bublik.
He then passed a test by dismissing the “earthling” Roberto Bautista, before losing to Daniil Medvedev (4th).
The Russian confirmed in the Principality that he hated this surface, but also underlined that he believed he could obtain good results there.
He reached the quarterfinals, where he couldn’t beat Rune.
“I beat some good clay players,” he said, noting that the night against Zverev was “magical.”
