Monte Carlo Masters draw: Novak Djokovic will face American in ATP Tour return

James Richardson
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Novak Djokovic celebrates

Top seed Novak Djokovic enjoys a bye into the second round at the Monte Carlo Masters as do the other players with top eight seedings.

Djokovic does at least know that he will face an American opponent as his season restarts with compatriots Brandon Nakashima and Mackenzie McDonald battling it out for the honour of facing the world No 1.

The first seeded player that Djokovic can meet is Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti who carries the No 16 seeding and may face the Serbian in the thrd round of main draw action.

Musetti will first need to get beyond Djokovic’s countryman Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round before a second round meeting against either Valentin Vacherot or a qualifier.

Potential last eight opponents for Djokovic include Jannik Sinner, who will be his opponent if seeding holds but the Italian is in a tough section that also features Hubert Hurkacz, Jack Draper and Argentine duo Sebastian Baez and Diego Schwartzman.

The man on a semi-final collision course with Djokovic is the in-form Daniil Medvedev.

Though Medvedev is known to not fancy clay he arrives in good spirits after a great Sunshine Double performance.

Medvedev also has a potentially tough path to that last four with Alexander Zverev among those whom he could meet in the last 16.

If he gets beyond that stage a last eight meeting with either Holger Rune or Cameron Norrie might be lying in wait.

Norrie has a nightmare draw, as he has to go up against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the opening round before taking on the winner of a clash between Maxime Cressy and Matteo Berrettini.

As the sixth seed, Rune will enjoy a bye into the second round, but with Dominic Thiem and Richard Gasquet bracketed alongside him, the challenges are still set to come early for the Dane.

The bottom half of the draw is anchored by defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas who will face either Benjamin Bonzi of France or Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles in his opening match.

Tsitsipas’ first potential seeded opponent is Borna Coric, with the 15th seed taking on clay court maven Nicholas Jarry of Chile to start.

His possible last-eight opponents include Taylor Fritz, but the American also has a touch section to battle through to secure a last-eight berth.

Fritz’s first match will be against either former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka or Tallon Griekspoor.

Fritz’s fellow Americans, Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton, are close by, and both are potential third round opponents for their nation’s No 1.

The other two men enjoying a first round bye in the bottom half of the draw are Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud, who could meet in the last eight.

Rublev could meet fellow Russian Karen Khachanov in the last 16, provided he can get past last season’s runner-up Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the opening round.

Ruud’s first possible seeded opponent is Alex de Minaur, but the Norwegian has to be the favourite to reach the last four from his quarter of the draw.

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