Looking for Tennis and Racket Sports International News?

Never shy of admitting his preference for hard courts over clay, Daniil Medvedev is cherishing his achievements on the latter this week at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The third seed fell to a straight-sets quarter-final defeat against Holger Rune on Friday at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event. Yet he leaves Monaco feeling good about adding two more wins to his Tour-leading tally for 2023, and Thursday’s battling third-round victory against Alexander Zverev in particular.

“It was not bad,” said Medvedev, who is now 31-4 on the season, of his run to the last eight in the Principality. “I beat good players on clay. Yesterday evening [against Zverev] was magic. It was very tough on clay. It's not easy to win matches like this.

“[Rune] played very well. I could have played a bit better, but if we talk about clay again, I'm not as at ease as he is on clay. I believe he's better on that surface, and I think in the following years he's going to be very strong on clay. So overall, it's very positive. There are other big tournaments coming up. We'll see what I do there, but I'm very happy with this tournament in Monte-Carlo.”

Medvedev has spoken about the challenge of hitting through opponents on clay as effectively as he does on hard courts. The former World No. 1 is working hard to identify the best way to counter his rivals on slower surfaces.

In a battle of 21-year-old Italians, Jannik Sinner overwhelmed Lorenzo Musetti on Friday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters to continue his success this season at the ATP Masters 1000 events.

The seventh-seeded Sinner earned a dominant 6-2, 6-2 victory to advance to the semi-finals for the third straight event at the prestigious level, backing up his runs to the Indian Wells semis and the Miami final. By improving to 7-0 against his countrymen on the ATP Tour, Sinner became the first Italian to reach the Monte-Carlo semis since Fabio Fognini won the 2019 title in Monaco. He will face sixth seed Holger Rune on Saturday for a place in the final.

"It's not easy playing against [Musetti]," Sinner reflected after the win, saying that the match was closer than the scoreline indicated. "I know his ability, his style, especially on this surface. I knew that I had to step up, try to take my chances before him.

"For sure starting [well], breaking him early gave me a lot of confidence and obviously I'm very happy about the performance... I felt great today on the court. I felt that I'm hitting the ball in the right spots in the right moments. I tried to stay aggressive, which I've done, so that's for sure the positive thing."

Sinner is the only man to reach the last four at all three ATP Masters 1000s this season, and one of only three to reach the quarters at each event (Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz). After entering Monte-Carlo at a career-high of World No. 8, Sinner can rise to No. 6 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings by claiming his first Masters 1000 title and eighth tour-level crown on Sunday.

He would also move up to second in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, behind Medvedev, if he wins the Monte-Carlo trophy.

Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from next week’s Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, with the 12-time champion explaining he is not yet ready to return to competitive action after suffering a leg injury at January’s Australian Open.

"Barcelona is a tournament that is special for me," wrote Nadal, who suffered a grade 2 injury in the iliopsoas muscle of his left leg in Melbourne, in Spanish on social media. "I'm still not ready and I'm continuing my preparation process for the return to competition.”

Nadal holds a 66-4 record in Barcelona, where Carlos Alcaraz is the top seed at the clay-court ATP 500 event, which runs from 17-23 April.

He may be just 19 years old, but Holger Rune continues to build an impressive record against his Top 10 rivals.

The Dane defeated the in-form Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 6-4 on Friday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters to reach his second ATP Masters 1000 semi-final. Rune delivered a calm and collected quarter-final display against the World No. 5, frequently manoeuvring Medvedev around the court with clean baseline hitting off both wings.

"It wasn't easy for sure, it's always tough to play Daniil," said Rune, who has risen two spots to No. 7 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings as a result of his Monte-Carlo run. "It was actually my first time playing against him in a real match, but we've practised tonnes of times. I have huge respect for everything he's done. The last week it was not easy to stop him but I'm happy I managed to do it."

Rune improved to 10-8 against opponents in the Top 10 of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings as a result of his 78-minute win in the Principality. Five of those victories against the ATP Tour’s elite came during his stunning run to the 2022 Rolex Paris Masters title, and Rune will face Jannik Sinner or Lorenzo Musetti in the Monte-Carlo semi-finals as he chases his second crown at Masters 1000 level.

"It's going to be a great match no matter what,” said Rune. “Two young players, up and coming. [Although] they're already at the top, so it's not really 'up and coming’. Lorenzo had a great win yesterday and Sinner is in form as well so it's going to be a tough match."

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ quest for a three-peat at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters was ended by Taylor Fritz on Friday. Following his straight-sets quarter-final loss, the Greek was quick to provide an honest assessment of his disappointing defeat.

“I just seemed off. My serve was not working very well today, and against opponents like Taylor, you have to serve well,” Tsitsipas said in his post-match press conference. “I was aware of that during the match. I just couldn't find the rhythm.

“I am much better than this and I'm disappointed I was not able to show my game today. I tried to fight on the second set. It's a good lesson. It's not a happy day for me, but it's a good lesson.”

Tsitsipas will drop two spots to No. 5 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday following his fifth defeat of the season. After reaching the Australian Open final at the start of the year, the Greek was forced to withdraw from Acapulco due to a shoulder injury, which hampered him in Indian Wells and Miami.

The 24-year-old, who competed eight times across February and March, believes his lack of matches impacted him on the clay in Monte-Carlo.

Taylor Fritz earned his first Top 10 clay-court win on Friday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, where he overcame defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals in the Principality for the first time.

The second seed Tsitsipas entered the clash on a 12-match winning streak in Monte-Carlo, having triumphed at the ATP Masters 1000 event in 2021 and 2022. However, he was unable to find his best level against Fritz, who forced the Greek into 18 unforced errors with his weight and depth of shot to advance after 70 minutes.

"I thought my level today was very high. I think I played a very good match. Beating him here gives me a lot of confidence," Fritz said. "It has given me the reassurance I need to know I can play well on clay.

"I seemed to play well on the big points. I took my chances. I knew that if I played too safe he would be able to get around and dictate on the forehand. So even in the pressure moments I pulled the trigger."

Fritz struck 17 winners and was dominant on his second serve, winning 70 per cent (14/20) of points behind his second delivery to reach his third ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.

Is this the week Andrey Rublev captures his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown?

The fifth seed booked his spot in the semi-finals at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters in style Friday when he moved past German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-1, 7-6(5).

In a tale of two sets, Rublev hit with effortless power throughout the opening set, striking nine winners to move ahead. He then remained patient in the second set, finding the feet of the onrushing Struff at the net at key moments to earn his 16th tour-level win of the season after one hour and 39 minutes.

The 25-year-old now leads Struff 3-2 in their ATP Head2Head series, avenging his loss against the 32-year-old in their previous meeting at Roland Garros in 2021.

Rublev will next face Stefanos Tsitsipas or Taylor Fritz as he aims to reach his third ATP Masters 1000 final and second in Monte-Carlo. The 12-time tour-level titlist advanced to the title match in the Principality in 2021.

Wake up, brush his teeth, play video games.

That may be Alexander Shevchenko’s perfect day without tennis. The 22-year-old recalled that was roughly the schedule that he and World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev kept when the tour was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

“I like to game a lot, sometimes with Daniil Medvedev when we are in touch,” Shevchenko told ATPTour.com. “When we speak, we are playing games together like Rainbow Six Siege and FIFA. I’m usually Manchester United and he takes Bayern Munich, because he’s a fan of Bayern. Right now, it’s not so often because we have a tough calendar. When he has weeks off, sometimes I’m off as well.

“During Covid times, I remember we were playing so much that it was crazy. First thing, we wake up, go brush our teeth, eat, and then we sit down and play for I don’t know how many hours. I don’t even want to say it!”

 

All four Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters quarter-finals are poised to be thrillers.

Leading the way at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event is an all-Italian clash between Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Musetti, two 21-year-olds on the rise. Plenty of local Italian fans in attendance will make for a memorable atmosphere on Court Rainier III.

There will also be Top 10 showdowns between two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas and Taylor Fritz as well as Daniil Medvedev and Holger Rune. Fifth seed Andrey Rublev will try to eliminate the resurgent Jan-Lennard Struff in a battle of powerful baseliners.

ATPTour.com previews each of the four matchups.

View Schedule | View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw

Novak Djokovic’s loss to Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters could have repercussions in the battle for World No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings.

Instead of distancing himself from the field at the first clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event of the season, Djokovic may find himself in a three-way battle for World No. 1 by the end of the tournament with Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev.

If the Serbian claimed his 39th ATP Masters 1000 title this week in the Principality, he would have taken a 1,380-point lead over the field. Instead, the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings show he owns just a 470-point edge ahead of No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz. Red-hot Daniil Medvedev can pull to within 1,080 points if he triumphs in Monte-Carlo.

Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings - 13 April 2023

Player	Live Pts	Max Pts (end of week)
1) Novak Djokovic	7,240	-
2) Carlos Alcaraz	6,770	-
3) Casper Ruud	5,255	-
4) Daniil Medvedev	5,240	6,060
5) Stefanos Tsitsipas	4,950	5,770

It sets the stage for an intense battle over the course of the clay-court season. Djokovic and Alcaraz are defending nearly the same number of points during the swing, while Medvedev will barely drop any points.

Daniil Medvedev survived a dramatic late-night marathon against Alexander Zverev on Thursday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, where the third seed rallied to a 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7) third-round victory.

Zverev served for the match at 5-4 in both the second and third sets and let slip two match points in the deciding-set tie-break on Court Rainier III, but he was unable to see off the ever-persistent Medvedev. A closely fought contest, during which both men produced high-quality play but struggled to do so consistently, was ultimately decided when Medvedev remained the more solid in the closing moments.

Medvedev trailed 5/6 and 6/7 in the deciding-set tie-break but Zverev errors on both points cost the German dear. Medvedev reeled off three points in a row to complete the win and reach the Monte-Carlo quarter-finals for the second time.

“That was a crazy match,” said Medvedev. “He served two times for the match, he probably should have done better, but that is also clay courts. I tried to watch a lot of tennis before playing this tournament, and one thing that I saw is you can come back at any moment. The serve doesn’t count as much, so as soon as someone gets a little bit tight, the match can turn around in one second. That’s what I managed to do.”

[ATP APP]

How would you do trying to guess the autographs of the best players on the ATP Tour?

Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, Hubert Hurkacz, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina and Thanasi Kokkinakis gave it their best shot in the newest edition of the ATP Head-To-Head Challenge.

“This is not even a signature, No. 3,” Rublev said, cracking a laugh. “When the pen is not working, you try to make it [until], ‘Okay now it’s working’.”

“Is this person very good?” Kokkinakis asked about one autograph's owner. “Is it Alcaraz? That’s not Zverev? Medvedev? Tsitsipas? Sinner? Is that Novak’s?”

[ATP APP]

Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara reached a fourth consecutive ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final on Thursday, but the sixth-seeded pair did not have things all their own way at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The British-Finnish team edged Argentine duo Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 5-7, 6-4, 10-8 in the Principality. Glasspool and Heliovaara, who are making their debut appearance at the first clay-court Masters 1000 event of the season, saved seven of nine break points they faced en route to a narrow one-hour, 46-minute second-round triumph.

[ATP APP]

Glasspool and Heliovaara reached the quarter-finals in both Indian Wells and Miami last month, runs that built on their charge to the semi-finals at last November’s Rolex Paris Masters. Their next opponents in Monte-Carlo will be Romain Arneodo and Sam Weissborn, who produced a major upset on Thursday by beating defending champions and second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury 6-2, 6-3.

The quarter-final lineup in Monte-Carlo was completed by fifth seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek, who defeated Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 7-6(4), 6-4.

Novak Djokovic suffered a stunning three-set defeat to Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. It is a match the World No. 1 wants to move on from quickly.

“I don't think it's catastrophic, but my feeling is bad right now because I lost the match,” Djokovic said. “That's all. Congrats to my opponent. I move on.”

Djokovic arrived in Monte-Carlo with jaw-dropping serving statistics, averaging one service game lost per match played in 2023. But against Musetti, whom he had defeated in all three of their previous ATP Head2Head matches, the top seed lost his serve eight times.

“Well, [my] feeling is terrible after playing like this, honestly,” Djokovic said. “But congrats to him. He stayed tough in important moments, and that's it. That's all I can say. Good luck to him.”

[ATP APP]

Novak Djokovic's quest for a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 title is under threat at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, where Lorenzo Musetti has forced a deciding set against the top seed.

After winning the first set, the Serbian has struggled to find his best level in the windy conditions on Court Rainier III, losing serve seven times before rain forced the players off with the score 6-4, 5-7, 1-1, 40/30.

Djokovic, who holds a 3-0 ATP Head2Head series lead against Musetti, will meet Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals if he advances. The Italian defeated Hubert Hurkacz earlier Thursday.

Djokovic began the week with an ATP Tour-leading 58.7 winning percentage behind his second serve according to Infosys ATP Stats. Against Musetti he has managed to win just 27 per cent of his second-serve points (6/22).

The 35-year-old is chasing his third title in Monte-Carlo this week, having triumphed in 2013 and 2015. Earlier this season he clinched a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open, with his only defeat of the season coming against Daniil Medvedev in the Dubai semi-finals.

Usain Bolt is the fastest man in history. But the sprinting legend is used to running for the finish line, not a tennis ball.

Bolt got some practice with the latter on Thursday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, where he was in the stands for Jannik Sinner's win against Hubert Hurkacz. When Hurkacz mishit a forehand that soared into the crowd, it was Bolt who searched for and secured the ball, quickly returning it to Court Rainier III. 

On your marks, set, GO ?

Another world record for @usainbolt ?⚡️#RolexMonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/oLHWDg5WAz

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 13, 2023

Bolt also met Holger Rune at the Monte-Carlo Country Club. The Dane will play Daniil Medvedev or Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals.

"How cool is this ? an honor to meet you@usainbolt," Rune tweeted.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is showing little sign of slowing down at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The 2021 and 2022 champion extended his winning streak at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event to 12 matches on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-4 third-round victory against Nicolas Jarry.

The second-seeded Tsitsipas delivered a rock-solid display to seal a 93-minute victory against the World No. 58 Jarry on Court Rainier III. A single break of the Chilean’s serve in each set was enough to secure a quarter-final spot for Tsitsipas, who won 80 per cent (32/40) of points behind his own first delivery and saved both break points he faced.

“I had to deal with a few [tough] points, especially when he had break points,” reflected Tsitsipas. “I dealt with those situations very maturely and played precisely, so it was great out there."

[ATP APP]

The Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell is a historic tournament, with former champions ranging from Ilie Nastase, Bjorn Borg and Ivan Lendl to Rafael Nadal, Dominic Thiem and Carlos Alcaraz.

The ATP 500 event, which will be played next week, is set to feature some of the world's best players once again.

Here's what you need to know: 

When is the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell?

The 2023 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell will be held from 17-23 April at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona-1899 in Barcelona, Spain. The tournament director is David Ferrer.

Who is playing at the 2023 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell?

The Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell will feature stars such as twelve-time champion Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, and Casper Ruud.

When is the draw for the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell?

The Barcelona draw will be made on Saturday 15 April. The time is to be confirmed.

What is the schedule for the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell?

* Qualifying: Saturday, 15 April – Sunday, 16 April at 10 a.m. local time
* Main Draw: Monday, 17 April - Sunday, 23 April at 11 a.m.
* Doubles Final: Sunday, 23 April at 1 p.m.
* Singles Final: Sunday, 23 April at 4 p.m.
* View On Official Website

What is the prize money for the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell?

The prize money for the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell is €2,727,480 and the Total Financial Commitment is €2,872,435.

SINGLES
Winner: €477,795 / 500 points
Finalist: €254,825 / 300 points
Semi-finalist: €132,190/ 180 points
Quarter-finalist: €69,020 / 90 points
Round of 16: €36,365 / 45 points
Round of 32: €19,910 / 20 points
Round of 48: €10,615 / 0 points

Andrey Rublev earned his 50th tour-level win on clay Thursday when he moved past long-time friend Karen Khachanov 7-6(4), 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The fifth seed adjusted well in the windy conditions in the Principality. He struck the ball cleanly from the baseline, hitting 20 winners and returning with depth to advance after one hour and 30 minutes.

"We know each other too well. The first set was only mental. We didn't show some tennis skills," Rublev said. "But it was tough to show skills because the wind was really hard and the court was slippery and it was tough to do something. The first set was super mental. As soon as I was able to win a set, I started to feel more free and I felt Karen felt more down, so that was the difference."

With his 15th victory of the season, Rublev is into his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final since last May, when he reached the last eight in Madrid.

Rublev and Khachanov were teaming as doubles partners this week. They won their opening match before falling to Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski.