After a long and successful hard court season, Jannik Sinner will begin his clay swing in 2024 at the Monte Carlo Masters. With the announcement of the main draw, Sinner will be gearing up for a long week on the red dirt.
The Italian is the second seed at the Monte Carlo Masters and has received a bye in the opening match. He could face Sebastian Korda in the next round, which will be the first meeting on clay between the players. Korda had defeated Sinner during their previous encounter at Adelaide. The American’s chances are slim to none, but he can extend Sinner’s time on the court.
In the round of 16, Jannik Sinner has a potential clash with Alexander Bublik or Sebastian Baez. Bublik had suffered three consecutive losses to Sinner before defeating him in the quarterfinals of Halle last season. The Italian had retired from the match during the second set due to an adductor muscle injury in his right leg. Sinner can settle the scores of Halle at Monte Carlo against Bublik.
The 22-year-old could also play against Baez, with whom he has a perfect winning record. Baez has lost two matches on the tour against Sinner but can make him sweat on clay. The Argentine is the only player this season to record more than 1o wins on the surface. He has won 14 matches and is the ATP Tour leader in the past 12 months with 26 wins. Jannik Sinner has to produce his best tennis to beat Baez in the third round.
In the quarterfinals, the second seed could set up a meeting with Holger Rune. Sinner lost to Rune in the semifinals of the 2023 edition. He hopes to avenge his loss to the Danish player in this edition. Rune leads their head-to-head record with two wins in three matches.
Sinner’s semifinal clash will be tricky as he could face Daniil Medvedev or Alexander Zverev. Medvedev and Sinner have played 11 matches on the tour, but all of them have been on hard courts. Jannik Sinner is on a 5-match winning streak against the Russian and has a psychological advantage on the court. The situation is not the same in the case of Zverev.
Zverev currently is on a four-match winning streak against Sinner. The fifth seed defeated Sinner in the quarterfinals of Monte Carlo two years back. It will be their fifth meeting on the tour, as Sinner has only won one match against Zverev. He had defeated the German in their first meeting at the French Open in 2020.
In the final of the Monte Carlo Masters, Sinner could set up a meeting with Novak Djokovic or Carlos Alcaraz. Djokovic had beaten Sinner in straight sets at Monte Carlo in 2021. But Sinner holds the upper hand now as he recorded back-to-back wins against the top seed. The 22-year-old would want to hamper Djokovic’s confidence on clay.
Another possibility is that Sinner would cross paths with Alcaraz. The Spaniard is the only player to beat Sinner this season and can inflict severe damage on clay. Sinner had defeated Alcaraz in their only meeting on clay two years back in the final of Umag. The duo share four wins each in their 8 meetings on the ATP Tour. Their rivalry has provided the fans with nail-biting finishes and mind-blowing rallies. If they meet at Monte Carlo this year, it would lead to yet another classic match for the audience to relish.
Sinner has been playing at the Monte Carlo Masters since 2021. His performance has only improved each year. In 2022, Sinner reached the quarterfinals and lost in the semifinals last season. This time, he is expected to reach the final. The 22-year-old will face obstacles in the draw but can come out on top.
Jannik Sinner Monte Carlo Masters 2024 potential draw
Second Round – Bye
Third Round – Sebastian Korda
Fourth Round – Alexander Bublik/ Sebastian Baez
Quarter-Final – Holger Rune
Semi-Final – Daniil Medvedev/ Alexander Zverev
Final – Novak Djokovic/ Carlos Alcaraz
