Stars ready to descend on Monte Carlo

 

The competition is set to heat up in Monte Carlo, with eight out of the top 10 players in the world taking to the clay. Amongst the favourites are Novak Djokovic and  Andy Murray, but with Rafael Nadal returning to the fold on his favourite surface, it promises to be an exceptional week of tennis action.

 

Thomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Janko Tipsarevic are all involved, and will be eagerly awaiting the outcome of the opening games to discover  who their second-round opponents will be.

 

The quality of the draw is also reflected in the fact that Gael Monfils and Juan Martin Del Potro are both wildcard entrants, and they will be part of a group bidding  to prevent Nadal making it a staggering ninth straight Monte-Carlo Masters title, with an incredible 44-1 event record.

 

The biggest names of men's tennis will be absent from the first round, but that doesn't prevent it from being a very open and exciting field. Doubts remain over  Djokovic after he picked up an ankle injury while on Davis Cup duty, but should he be deemed fit enough he will likely face a tricky second-round tie with either  Mikhail Youzhny or Daniel Gimeno-Traver.

 

John Isner is another high profile wildcard entrant, and he faces a difficult first round clash with Ernests Gulbis.  The Latvian is currently ranked 56th in the world  but has been in good form this year with an 11-3 record, and will provide a tough test for the American. However, Isner will be buoyed by his run in Houston this past  week.

 

One man who may find life a little easier in the opening round is ninth seed Marin Cilic. He takes on Horacio Zeballos, and will be confident of progressing in a  quarter of the draw which will see him avoid the top three seeded players until the latter stages should he avoid an early exit.

 

Cilic will face the winner of what should be an entertaining all-Italian battle between Fabio Fognini and Andreas Seppi. Seppi has the edge over his countryman, but  Fognini snatched a win in three-sets in their last meeting on the clay in Bucharest last year.

 

On the other side of the draw, there is likely to be a real battle when Stanislas Wawrinka takes on Denis Istomin. The pair have met on two previous occasions, with  both matches going the distance, and despite sharing a victory each, the Swiss world number 17 should prevail.

 

Second seed Murray is likely to face Dutchman Robin Haase in his first outing in Monte Carlo, while Nadal will take on the winner of Marinko Matosevic and Fernando  Verdasco.

 

Should things stay true to form, the quarter-final line-up could be incredibly close to call. Djokovic would be paired with Del Potro, Berdych with Gasquet, Tipsarevic  with Nadal and Tsonga against Murray. It is difficult to look past the 'King of Clay', with the Spaniard's propensity to deliver on this surface, and a fourth title of  the year could well be on the way.

 

Recommended Bets

Back Rafael Nadal to win the Monte Carlo Masters @1.7

Back Marin Cilic to beat Horacio Zeballos @ 1.25

Back John Isner to beat Ernests Gulbis @ 1.4

Back Fabio Fognini to beat Andrea Seppi @ 1.6

 

Bet HERE

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