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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.”

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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?”

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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.

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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."

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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.

Jannik Sinner braved blustery conditions and a strong charge from Hubert Hurkacz to seal a third-round victory on Thursday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The seventh-seeded Italian trailed Hurkacz by a set and a break at 3-6, 1-2 but rallied to a 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-1 triumph at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event. Even after recovering his early deficit in the second set, Sinner was on the brink of defeat when trailing 5/6 in the second-set tie-break. Yet he reeled off three points in a row to save the match point and clinch the second set before dominating the decider on Court Rainier III.

“It was a very tough match,” said Sinner after improving to 23-5 for the year. “Playing against him, I knew already from the beginning that it was very tough to get into the rhythm. I think he served incredible in the first one and a half sets, and when I broke him the first time the momentum changed a little bit.

“He also had match point. These kinds of matches can go both ways, I’m happy that it went my way, and happy that I can play at least one more match [here].”

[ATP APP]

The last 16 is set at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, with all eight third-round matches on the Thursday schedule in Monaco. An abundance of marquee matchups highlights the Day 5 action, led by the evening showdown between Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev.

In addition to that rematch of the epic Indian Wells quarter-final won by Medvedev, Novak Djokovic will take on Lorenzo Musetti and two pairs of Top 10 seeds will square off as Jannik Sinner meets Hubert Hurkacz and Andrey Rublev plays Karen Khachanov. 

Other Top 10 seeds in action include two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, fourth seed Casper Ruud and sixth seed Holger Rune, who will meet Matteo Berrettini.

View Schedule | View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw

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World No. 21 Lorenzo Musetti has become one of the game's brightest young stars. A two-time tour-level titlist, the 21-year-old looks to earn one of the biggest wins of his career Thursday, when he meets 22-time major champion Novak Djokovic at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

ATPTour.com caught up with the Italian to discuss his life on Tour, his favourite travel destinations, and how he makes himself feel at home while on the road.

What are two essential non-tennis items you always pack for trips?
Probably headphones and a speaker. I’m pretty obsessed with the music, so I’d say those two things.

When you’re in your room or in the gym, you have music on all the time?
Yeah, with my playlist for sure.

What’s the number one song you listen to?
Depends on the period. I have a lot of playlists. It depends on the mood and when. Right now, I have some Italian songs.

Third seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer survived an early scare Wednesday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. Top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski also avoided an upset in their clay-season opener.

The El Salvadoran-Dutch duo of Arevalo and Rojer saved seven of eight break points faced to oust Stefanos Tsitsipas and Petros Tsitsipas 6-2, 6-7(5), 10-5 in the second round of the ATP Masters 1000 event.

Two-time titlists this season (Delray Beach, Adelaide-2), Arevalo and Rojer will next meet Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in the quarter-finals after the German pair cruised to a 6-4, 6-3 victory against Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden.

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Arevalo and Rojer were semi-finalists in Monaco last season two months before claiming their maiden Grand Slam trophy at Roland Garros, which helped them qualify for the 2022 Nitto ATP Finals.

After a strong clay campaign last season that saw him win his first ATP Tour title in Munich and reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final at Roland Garros, Holger Rune is up and running on the terre battue in 2023.

The Dane picked up where he left off on the surface with a 6-2, 6-4 win against Dominic Thiem on Wednesday night at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

"It's my first match back on clay so there were a few adjustments to make. But I'm all in all happy with how I handled the situation on court," Rune said after the pair's first ATP Head2Head meeting, noting the importance of keeping good depth on his strokes. "Dominic already played a couple of matches [on clay]. He's a dangerous player. He can hit winners from anywhere in the court so I had to be sharp, move well and play well."

Making his third appearance in Monaco, Rune is through to the last 16 for the first time. He was beaten by Casper Ruud in each of the past two editions of the event, losing in the opening round of his 2021 debut and in the second round last season.

The 19-year-old will face Matteo Berrettini or Francisco Cerundolo on Thursday, seeking his second ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final and first since he won the Rolex Paris Masters last November.

Taylor Fritz earned his 50th ATP Masters 1000 win on Wednesday when he overcame former champion Stan Wawrinka 7-6(10), 6-2 at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters to reach the third round.

In a tale of two sets, the American saved five set points in a mammoth opener to move ahead, before he stepped up his intensity and level in the second set to triumph after one hour and 39 minutes.

Fritz, who saved two set points on serve at 5-6 and three more in the first-set tie-break, struck 25 winners and committed just seven unforced errors to earn his 21st tour-level win of the season.

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The eighth seed reached the quarter-finals in the Principality last year and will aim to match that feat when he takes on Jiri Lehecka after the Czech downed 2022 semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(4), 6-4.