The clay court season has begun, and this week sees the first of three Masters 1000 tournaments on the ATP Tour, leading into Roland Garros. While the men are fighting it out in Monaco, the women have a week off the WTA train to concentrate on Fed Cup duties.
Rolex Monte Carlo Masters - an ATP Masters 1000 category tournament, on Red Clay, in Monte Carlo, Monaco, 14-21 April 2019.
Defending champion:
Rafa Nadal (1) who defeated Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-2
The following players withdrew after entering but before the main draw was published:
- Kevin Anderson replaced by Adrian Mannarino
- Pablo Carreno Busta replaced by Taylor Fritz
- Richard Gasquet replaced by Hubert Hurkacz
The following players withdrew after the main draw was published:
- Gaël Monfils (14) replaced by alternate Malek Jaziri
- Wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis replaced by lucky loser Taro Daniel
In the absence of Monfils, Kyle Edmund was instated as seed #17, and is drawn to play the top seed in the round of sixteen.
Novak Djokovic, world number 1, is top seed.
The other 15 seeds are all in the top 23
The top eight seeds have first round byes
Nadal is attempting to win his 12th Monte Carlo title, and 34th Masters trophy overall. Djokovic, if he wins, will tie the Spaniard on 33 Masters crowns. The world #1 has a tough task, with a potential semi final opponent in fourth seed Dominic Thiem, probably the best clay court tennis exponent outside of the top two seeds, and already a winner this year over Federer at Indian Wells.
Nadal has to be on guard early with a probable second round clash (his first match) with Roberto Bautista Agut. Stan Wawrinka also looms large in Nadal’s part of the draw, and though unseeded, the Swiss multi Grand Slam title holder can never be underestimated. He could be a quarter final obstacle if the Rotterdam form from February is reproduced.
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