Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal begin their clay court seasons in Monte Carlo this week, with the possibility they could meet in the final as the pair being preparations for another tilt at a Roland Garros showdown in June.
Neither Djokovic or Nadal have played since the Australian Open in February and there are still concerns over Nadal.s fitness with a lingering back problem.
Nadal has 71-5 record in Monte Carlo where he has not made the the quarter-finals only once – in 2003.
Missing from the Monte Carlo line-up is Roger Federer who last played the tournament in 2016.
Federer plans to make his 2021 clay return in Madrid next month.
Also missing is Dominic Thiem, who has chosen to remain in Austria.
Djokovic faces a tough start in Monte Carlo after an opening round bye, where he will face young Italian Jannik Sinner if he gets past Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
ORDER OF PLAY – SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2019
COURT RAINIER III start 11:00 am
Qualifying – B. Tomic (AUS) vs [11] S. Caruso (ITA)
[11] D. Goffin (BEL) vs M. Cilic (CRO)
J. Thompson (AUS) vs B. Paire (FRA)
F. Fognini (ITA)/D. Schwartzman (ARG) vs O. Marach (AUT) vs L. Saville (AUS)
COURT DES PRINCES start 11:00 am
Qualifying – D. Koepfer (GER) vs J. Londero (ARG)
Qualifying – H. Laaksonen (SUI) vs M. Cecchinato (ITA)
J. Chardy (FRA)/F .Martin (FRA) vs K. Khachanov (RUS)/A. Rublev (RUS)
COURT 2 start 11:00 am
Qualifying – S. Travaglia (ITA) vs K. Majchrzak (POL)
Not before 13:00
Qualifying – Y. Hanfmann (GER) vs A. Popyrin (AUS)
C. Garin (CHI)/G. Pella (ARG) vs J. Murray (GBR)/J. Struff (GER)
COURT 9 start 11:00 am
Qualifying – P. Martinez (ESP) vs F. Delbonis (ARG)
Not before 13:00
Qualifying – J. Sousa (POR) vs [ALT] T. Fabianno (ITA)
H. Kontinen (FIN)/E. Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs [ALT] A. Bublik (KAZ)/D. Lajovic (SRB)
THE DRAW
