Carlos Alcaraz could face Novak Djokovic again in the Monte Carlo semifinals, the Masters 1000 that opens the clay court tour next week. It is the main bomb that the draw for the draw left this Friday, since the Murcian, after losing his status as number 2 in the world, no longer avoids the first seed until the final by decree. Sinner, therefore, is the favorite in the other half of the draw.
Both Alcaraz and Nole will have to recover their feelings to meet in the semifinals, since the Serbian has not gone this far in the Principality since 2015 and the Murcian has not yet shown his best version there. In fact, it is the only Masters 1000 in which he has not won a match. In 2021 he could not attend the qualifiers because he was playing an ATP 250, in 2022 he fell at the first opportunity and last year he was out due to injury.
This time, the team will offer an opportunity to redirect its relationship with Monte Carlo to that of El Palmar, which since this Friday has been training at the facilities on the shores of the Mediterranean. The debut, in the second round, will pit him against a player from the previous round or Auger-Aliassime, a weaker player on clay and whom he has surpassed in his last duels. He would also be a clear favorite in the round of 16, where he would probably meet Ugo Humbert or Marcos Giron.
Ruud, first big obstacle
If there are no surprises, the first rival who would test Carlos Alcaraz's form would be, in the quarterfinals, Casper Ruud, a clay specialist and finalist in the last two editions of Roland Garros. Although the head-to-head match reflects for now a crushing 4-0 win for the Murcian over the Norwegian.
The clash with Djokovic is by no means guaranteed. He only needs one trophy in Monte Carlo to complete the three-time championship in all the Masters 1000 and Grand Slams, but the Serbian faces the clay tour with the sole objective of arriving in shape at Roland Garros, as in recent years. Furthermore, this year he arrives surrounded by doubts about his tennis and his physical condition, and without a coach after a recent breakup with Goran Ivanišević. All in all, he will have to overcome players like Musetti or Frits in his first rounds and in the quarterfinals he will have to overcome bones like De Miñaur or Rublev, current champion.
On the other side of the draw, Sinner's form will be tested on the Monegasque clay. Davidovich, Korda, Dimitrov or Rune may appear in their path before the semi-finals. In a hypothetical semi-final he would meet Zverev, Medvedev or Tsitsipas, among other possible opponents.
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