Unseeded players Borna Coric of Croatia and Lorenzo Musetti of Italy made impressive starts at the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday. Musetti defeated 13th-seeded American Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4, showcasing his prowess on clay courts by converting four out of five break points. Meanwhile, Coric dominated his match against 16th-seeded Alexander Bublik with a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory, breaking Bublik's serve six times and saving the only break point he faced.
Jan-Lennard Struff displayed his big-serving skills, recording nine aces in a hard-fought 1-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2 win over Argentine Sebastian Baez, who had to defend against 24 break-point opportunities. Struff managed to convert four of those chances. Tallon Griekspoor also advanced with a 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-2 victory against German Dominik Koepfer.
Top-ranked Novak Djokovic is aiming for his third Monte Carlo Masters title, with his last victory dating back to 2015. Djokovic faces a tough potential matchup against defending champion Andrey Rublev in the quarterfinals. Second-ranked Jannik Sinner, the Australian Open champion from Italy, continues his stellar form this year with a 22-1 record and three titles, including the recent Miami Open triumph.
The tournament features the presence of Grand Slam winners Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, ensuring that the top-four ranked men's players are all in action at the prestigious Monte Carlo Country Club. However, the absence of record 11-time champion Rafael Nadal looms large as he continues to battle injury issues.
