ROGER FEDERER RETURNS IN MONTE-CARLO, NOVAK DJOKOVIC LOOKS TO MAINTAIN HIS WINNING STREAK

Written by: Staff on 9th April 2016

ROGER FEDERER RETURNS IN MONTE-CARLO, NOVAK DJOKOVIC LOOKS TO MAINTAIN HIS WINNING STREAK

epa04707280 Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball to John Isner of US during their third round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 16 April 2015. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER |

Chillaxing at the beach earlier in the week – Photo by @rogerfederer via Instagram.

By Ricky Dimon

Roger Federer is back–but not exactly for the first time in the past few weeks. Federer, who was sidelined by minor knee surgery for all of February, had been scheduled to return last month at the Miami Open. The 17-time major champion practiced for a few days in Miami and appeared to be ready for an opening showdown with Juan Martin Del Potro, but a late illness took Federer out of the event. Thus he still has not played since losing to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals.

A loaded Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters field features Djokovic, Federer, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych, and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, among many others.

Aside from a potential third-round contest against Roberto Bautista Agut, Federer’s draw is a favorable one. The 34-year-old Swiss should not have too much trouble getting back into the groove at the expense of either Thomaz Bellucci or Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Federer’s nearest top-8 seed is Tsonga, when it could have been Nadal, Ferrer, or Berdych. A more likely quarterfinal opponent for Federer is an in-form Richard Gasquet, who is on course for an all-French tilt with Tsonga in the last 16.

Federer and company are on the same half of the bracket as Djokovic, who has won consecutive Masters 1000 tournaments this season in Indian Wells and Miami. The top-seeded Serb’s section also includes a red-hot David Goffin, who reached the semifinals at each of the big events in March. A treacherous trek through the bracket for Ferrer could consist of Alexander Zverev, Goffin, and then Djokovic.

If early-round results play out as expected, no competitor will attract more attention than Nadal—and his opponents. The fifth-seeded Spaniard could kick off his Monte-Carlo campaign against well-documented rival Lukas Rosol. Dominic Thiem, who has been one the best players on tour this season, in on a collision course with Nadal for the last 16. Wawrinka also finds himself in this quarter, but the Swiss slumped through Indian Wells and Miami and his difficult eighth of the bracket is also home to Gilles Simon, Grigor Dimitrov, and current Marrakech finalist Borna Coric.

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball to John Isner of US during their third round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 16 April 2015. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

Like Wawrinka, Murray could really use a successful showing this week following disappointments in March. The world No. 2 lost his second match at each tournament, first to Federico Delbonis and then to Dimitrov. Fortunately for Murray, he has arguably the best draw of anyone in Monte-Carlo. He should coast into the last eight before going up against the winner of a likely showdown between Berdych and Raonic.

First-round upset potential

Inigo Cervantes over (16) Benoit Paire. Is there any performer on the ATP Tour more mercurial than Paire? Maybe Ernests Gulbis; but that’s it. Paire caught fire late last summer and at times in the fall, but this year has been a disaster since he started with a semifinal in Chennai. The Frenchman is 1-5 in his last six matches. Cervantes owns seven of his 11 career ATP-level match wins in 2016.

Paolo Lorenzi over Fabio Fognini. No other seed should have any real trouble in the opening round. In terms of ranking, however, Lorenzi (No. 53) beating Fognini (No. 32) would constitute an upset. Fognini is sweeping this head-to-head series with his fellow Italian 4-0, but he has not played since the Rio Open in February because of an abdominal issue. Lorenzi is a decent 8-8 on the season and all eight of his victories have come on clay.

(WC) Lucas Pouille over Nicolas Mahut. This is another all-unseeded battle between compatriots that could go in favor of the lower-ranked player. At 34 years old, Mahut has been stellar in both singles and doubles this season. But his game is better-suited for grass or a fast indoor hard court. Twelve years his fellow Frenchman’s junior, Pouille is coming off a fourth-round performance in Miami.

Ricky’s picks

Quarterfinals: Novak Djokovic over David Ferrer, Roger Federer over Richard Gasquet, Rafael Nadal over Stan Wawrinka, and Milos Raonic over Andy Murray

Semifinals: Djokovic over Federer and Nadal over Raonic

Final: Djokovic over Nadal

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Novak Djokovic, Ricky Dimon, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News

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dusanVemic says:

April 10, 2016 at 9:17 am

RT @10sBalls_com: -@rogerfederer Returns In #MonteCarlo, @DjokerNole Looks To Maintain His Winning Streak
https://t.co/TdStebUuVC https://t…