Tennis: In Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters first round singles, Abrams likes Canadiens Shapovalov & FA2, Spaniards Verdasco, Munar, Bautista Agut
Monte-Carlo Masters 1000
First Round Singles Picks
Philipp Kohlschreiber over Taro Daniel
Japan’s Taro Daniel made the main draw as a lucky loser when Thanasi Kokkinakis pulled out of the tournament with a bum right shoulder. Daniel lost to Aljaz Bedene 6 and 3 in the qualies, and I don’t expect him to do any better against the solid German, Kohlschreiber. We’re all awaiting the Kohlschreiber-Djokovic rematch, after the 35-year-old took out the top seed in straight sets in Indian Wells, just four weeks ago.
Diego Schwartzman over Kyle Edmund
I’ve made the mistake of underestimating South African Kyle Edmund before, and if he wins this match, I will no longer fail to give him more credit. When Gael Monfils pulled out of the tournament, it moved Edmund, ranked No. 23, into the 17th seeded position. Schwartman’s ranking? Number 24. But in the “Battle for No. 23,” I think the diminutive Schwartman has a better clay court game and will triumph. These guys have split their only two matches on the Tour but they haven’t played on clay yet, and I think that the surface will be the difference between them. Both are battlers, so this should be a war.
Fernando Verdasco over Pierre-Hugues Herbert
What happens when a really tough veteran clay-court Spaniard comes up against the world’s best doubles player? The singles player wins. Although Verdasco is starting to age, at 35, he is still very capable, and even better on clay courts than fast ones. He’s also dominated this rivalry 3-0, with two of those wins coming on hard courts. In fact, the closest match they’ve had was at Roland Garros in 2017, so, although I expect the Spaniard to win, Herbert will make it close.
Jaume Munar over Lucas Catarina
Spaniard Jaume Munar received a wild card into the main draw here, but he’s a player, currently ranked 61st in the world. Monaco’s Lucas Catarina received a wild card into the main draw here, but he’s simply a favorite son. Catarin is 22-years-old, is ranked No. 554, and has just six Tour matches under his belt. Munar should thank his lucky stars for a great draw and should jump all over Catarina. If Catarina can compete, he’ll be back next year, because he’s the best that Monaco has to offer.
Felix Auger-Aliassime over Juan Ignacio Londero
FA2 has shown that he’s no regular teenaged tennis player. This guy is the real deal, at only 18, and he’s here to stay. When they talk about the NextGen players, this Canadian is at the top of the list, and in my opinion is a future Grand Slam champion. Londero is a good Argentinean clay courter in his own right, and although he took out FA2 the only time they played (when the Canadian was 17), I think FA2 will take him out now that his game has matured a bit. If I were Auger-Aliassime, I’d start looking for some real estate in Monaco, because he’s going to need a tax haven.
Denis Shapovalov over Jan-Lennard Struff
As good as I think Shapovalov can be, he keeps surprising me at how good he is already. Like his fellow Canadian teen sensation FA2, Shapovalov is here now, and he’s the real deal too. He might have to work a bit on his off-the-cuff rapping, but his tennis is just fine. He’s got a tough first rounder here with the strong German Jan-Lennard Struff in his way, but I think Shapovalov is the superior clay court player. He’s certainly more flamboyant. Struff will fight to the end, but I believe that the Canadian moves on, as he did when he topped Struff last year in Tokyo, the only time they tangled.
Roberto Bautista Agut over John Millman
Roberto Bautista Agut is one of the very best clay court players in the world right now, and, although John Millman is tough as a bull, RBA is the better slow court player. I give Millman credit for entering the tournament, as his true calling comes on fast courts, but RBA, with a win, will set up a second round battle with Rafa. Besides, RBA is 4-0 against the Aussie, except for a Millman win ten years ago in a Futures match.