Report Monte-Carlo Masters 2023

The Monte Carlo ATP 1000 tournament in Monaco is a delight for tennis fans every year. The 2023 Monte Carlo Masters was no different. The fact that the lineup once again featured a large number of impressive names was certainly a contributing factor. World number one Novak Djokovic was given the opportunity to showcase his skills on clay, and Stefanos Tsitsipas, winner of the past two Monte Carlo editions, was also present. Players like the in-form Daniil Medvedev and clay-court specialist Casper Ruud were also present, unlike Spanish clay-court champions Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz. Both stars were struggling with physical ailments and were unexpectedly forced to withdraw.

Of course, Botic van de Zandschulp and Tallon Griekspoor were also among the players on the list who were eager to uphold Dutch honor . Unfortunately for Griekspoor, his adventure at the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters ended in the first round. The North Hollander, along with former winner Stan Wawrinka, also had no luck with the draw and had to retire early after a thrilling three-setter (5-7/6-3/6-4). Van de Zandschulp did manage to reach the second round, but after a strong comeback against Hungarian Marton Fucsovics (3-6/7-6/6-1), fourth-seeded Ruud proved just a tad too strong: 7-5/7-6.

Highlights Monte-Carlo Masters 2023

By that point, the tournament was already over for Cameron Norrie. The Briton had already lost in the first round to his Argentinian opponent Francisco Cerundolo (6-3/6-4), after which he could prepare for the next tournament. There were few major surprises in the first and second rounds, although the early elimination of Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina (a 2022 finalist who lost) was certainly noteworthy. The biggest upset, however, occurred in the semifinals, where talented Lorenzo Musetti managed to send Djokovic home. The Serb won the first set 6-4, but then went down 7-5, 6-4 to the 21-year-old Italian.

Besides Djokovic, Ruud also failed to advance beyond the third round. The Norwegian, responsible for Van de Zandschulp's elimination, was defeated in straight sets by German Jan-Lennard Struff. While clay-court player Matteo Berrettini had to retire before his match against Rune, several other exciting matches were still on the schedule, including Medvedev against Alexander Zverev and Rublev against his doubles partner Khachanov. Ultimately, Medvedev and Rublev emerged victorious in these matches and qualified for the quarterfinals, where players like Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner had also qualified.

Not a single three-setter

A striking feature of the quarterfinals was that every match was played in straight sets . Each match lasted a maximum of two sets, and four different nationalities advanced to the semifinals. Sinner defeated his compatriot Musetti (6-2/6-2), Rune proved a powerful opponent for Medvedev (6-3/6-4), and Rublev dispatched Struff in straight sets (6-1/7-6). The biggest upset in the last eight was made possible by Fritz. The tall American, who has already won one ATP title this year, defeated defending champion Tsitsipas by a wide margin: 6-2/6-4. It was the first time the two tennis players had met on clay.

While the quarterfinals were all decided in straight sets, the men's semifinals offered two real thrilling matches. Fritz faced Rublev, and it was the Russian who emerged victorious after over two hours of tennis: 5-7/6-1/6-3. The other semifinal, between the two youngsters Sinner and Rune, also proved to be a battle of attrition. This match lasted almost three hours and ultimately saw a Danish winner. After Sinner comfortably won the first set 6-1, it was Rune who grabbed the points at the right moments and ultimately won the second and third sets both 7-5.

Final Monte-Carlo Masters 2023

This meant the final was a close encounter between Rune and Rublev, who also met earlier this year at the Australian Open and provided the crowd with a long-lasting spectacle. The 2023 Monte Carlo Masters final was no different. Both players fought for all they were worth, and after Rune won the first set (7-5), Rublev quickly managed to turn the tide of the match. He took the second set 6-2, after which a deciding set would determine the winner of the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters. Ultimately, it was Rublev who took the third set 7-5 and then let out a shout of joy because, after losing the 2021 Monte Carlo final, among other things, he had finally won his first ATP 1000 title.