Text and Photos by Henk Abbink
Sunny, blue skies are forecasted this week for the top field of players who will take to the courts of the Monte Carlo Country Club. The field includes 15 of the Top 20 players. Even Novak Djokovic, who twisted his ankle during Davis Cup Play, is expected to be ready to take center stage in his adopted hometown. Many tennis fans here are hoping for a Nadal-Djokovic final but it won’t be a walk in the park for either player. Janko Tipsarevic, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Andy Murray will try everything to block Rafa’s path to what would be a ninth consecutive final. On Djokovic’s end of the draw there’s Juan Martin del Potro, Tomas Berdych and Richard Gasquet to contend with, that is if the Serb’s ankle will not force him to pull out.
Dolgopolov and Dimitrov looking good
After Germany’s Philipo Kohlschreiber sent off Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci 6-4, 6-2, it was rising stars Alexandr Dolgopolov and Bernard Tomic’s turn to battle it out on “Court Centralâ€. It wasn’t the battle most had hoped for. The Ukranian no. 22 needed just one hour to send Australia’s hope, no. 43 ranked Tomic, out of the singles tournament with, 3 serve breaks and a final 6-2, 6-4 score. Tomic will be in action in doubles play with Canadian young gun and 12th seeded Milos Raonic. Dolgopolov got a warm reception by the crowd, which was rewarded by the chance to catch and keep the racket that he tossed into the stands. Alexandr’s second round opponent will be none other than surprise participant Juan Martin del Potro, who accepted a wildcard and returns to action earlier than expected.
Today seemed like a pre-planned ‘Young Guns Day’. 21-year-old Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, like Dolgopolov, thoroughly enjoyed his excursion to centre court where he dismissed tour veteran Xavier Malisse 6-3, 6-2. It’s a pure joy watching young Dimitrov, who will meet the winner of the Gilles Simon – Roberto Bautista Agut match.
Surprise qualifier
In qualies play Jesse Huta Galung was the surprise qualifier for the main draw today. The 27-year-old, no. 169 ranked Dutchman, showed up here as an alternate, fresh off his Challenger win last week in St. Brieuc (France). He beat no. 5 seed Tobias Kamke in the first round and this afternoon sent off Philipp Petzschner 6-2, 6-3 to enter the main draw.
Earlier this year Huta Galung surprised the tennis world by reaching the Doubles finals of the (ABN AMRO) Rotterdam ATP 500 tournament with Dutch partner Igor Sijsling. Fellow Dutchman, former junior Wimbledon winner Thiemo de Bakker, who has been (successfully) working on his way back into the Top 100, bowed out to Germany’s Daniel Brands in three close sets 4-6, 7-6 (0), 6-4.
Dimitrov unleashes a serve.
de Bakker in action.
Xavier Malisse was shot down by Dimitrov.
Young stars of ATP shine in Monte Carlo
17 comments
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Scoop Malinowski · April 14, 2013 at 8:50 pm
Wow what a nice day to commence the event. Seems like almost every day is perfect in Monte Carlo as these photos indicate some beautiful sunshine. Impressive win by Dolgopolov who has been struggling this year. Tomic’s troubles continue after his Davis Cup heroics two weeks ago, where Rafter said he thought it was the best he’s seen young Tomic play. Tomic and Raonic in dubs sounds like fun. I saw that Janowicz and Huey are teamed again – they lost in the finals in Indian Wells to the Bryans in a close match.
Henk · April 15, 2013 at 4:22 am
Everything is always more than well arranged at this tournament… and that includes the weather 😉 John Isner got a wildcard and, after showing his form on clay in Houston, that seems like a great decision from both John’s and the tournament’s end. Another in-form guy (Gulbis) is awaiting him. The winner of that match could face Novak in round three.
Scoop Malinowski · April 15, 2013 at 7:48 am
Whoa Henk that is a heckuva matchup and a tough one for both, two very hot players at this moment. I’m sort of curious to see the media room and learn about how they take care of the media there and also how many media people do attend, any Americans? And how is the media dining? I think the Sony Open in Miami are just fanastic with the media, we all have our own station desk, TV monitor, I would imagine it would be similarly convenient in Monte Carlo. Well maybe not, as there is not the WTA side of the tournament which gives it a Grand Slam grandness.
Steve · April 15, 2013 at 9:29 am
I hope I get to see Seppi vs. Fognini & Brands vs. Davydenko. Could be somewhat interesting if Verdasco gets through to face Nadal. At times Verdasco plays his very best tennis against his countryman.
Steve · April 15, 2013 at 9:33 am
Fognini gets the W!
Scoop Malinowski · April 15, 2013 at 10:07 am
Didn’t Verdasco beat Nadal the last time they played in Madrid? Rafa will want revenge. Paire won also. Fognini is long overdue for a big tournament.
Tom van Doren · April 15, 2013 at 11:06 am
Excelent report again from the best tennis reporters right on the spot, The tennis world will soon know who will be this years Monte Carlo’s champion, I still have no doubt about it that it will be Rafa Nadal again He’s in a great shape and has had an outstanding comeback to the courts, even though my one and only gentlemen on the tennis court will always be Roger Federer.
Good luck for our flying Dutchman, Jesse Huta Galung, hopefully he can play some more on the Monte Carlo courts. If he can keep playing the level he’s been showing the last 2 weeks he can be a dangarous outsider, let’s see if he can shoot some orange bullets on the court.
The middle of next week there will be a profesional wheelchair tennis tournament in Madrid (Ciudad de las raquetas) where a lot of top 100 players will participate. The tournament starts on Thursday 25th of April and ends on Sunday the 28th. I will be there with 2 Mexican Junior players, Carlos Muro who’s 17 years old and will enter the second draw of the tournament and Lizbeth Soto, a future champion of just 14 years of age, who will be the surprise of the tournament. Last year Lizbeth won an ITF3 tournament at the age of 13, youngest player in the history of wheelchair tennis to win such kind of tournament, not even the great Esther Vergeer can say that, Esther won her first official ITF tournament at the age of 14 and a half years.
Lets see what Madrid will bring us.
Steve · April 15, 2013 at 11:31 am
True Scoop but I also was thinking of their clash at the Aussie Open.
Where are the Gulbis fans? They should be excited by his return after a break.
Henk · April 15, 2013 at 12:06 pm
Tom, keep me posted on the Madrid wheelchair tennis tournament. I have some great shots of the two players you mention.
Scoop, I’m on my iPhone so will respond to your questions about working conditions for the press in more detail. However, I can already tell you the press is welcomed here in warm Monagasque style with the best and classiest transportation service. The desk, monitors, panoramic view of Court Central and the coastline and cozy interview room are all inclusive. A press team that must be among the nicest. Love the Sony Open and the facilities they offer too. However, there are other tournaments that could learn a lot from both the Sony and Monte Carlo Rolex Masters and a few others.
Verdasco won against a very irritated (with the blue clay courts) Rafa. The last time they played in a final, here in Monte Carlo, Rafa destroyed him 6-0, 6-1. The Rafa I saw in Latin America should have no problem with Verdasco. Rafa practised this morning with Bellucci (lefty) which does show he is taking a possible encounter with Verdasco very serious.
Dan Markowitz · April 15, 2013 at 12:14 pm
Steve, only you could be highly anticipating a Daniel Brands–Davydenko match. I know you like Brands and he did much better than expected at the Aussie Open, but when has that guy ever played really well besides?
Has a player dropped in stature as quickly as Verdasco has this year and last? He’s no longer a top-level competitor. I’m kind of stunned that Isner beat both Monaco and Almagro back to back in Houston. Never would’ve bet on that as the semis rolled around and Izzy had had much problems beating Rhyne Williams. Still, I like Gulbis over Isner in MC and I’m looking to see what Gulbis can do on the red clay as he’s had the most success in all of the slams at the French.
Steve · April 15, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Dan Brands played Gasquet very tough in the Doha semi-final. Tremendous match. Also Brands played great against Tomic at the Aussie this year.
Yes, Verdasco’s career is a head-scratcher as he’s so talented but he seems to get up for playing Rafa. Verdasco is the most erratic player I’ve ever watched. He’ll get begaled one set and then begal his opponent the next.
Mitch · April 15, 2013 at 5:29 pm
Without checking the H2H, I feel like Verdasco has played one good match against Rafa, at the Aussie Open in 2009. He of course beat him in Madrid and came close in Cincinnati, but both players played poorly in those matches.
Scoop Malinowski · April 15, 2013 at 9:36 pm
Thanks Henk, yes it does seem like Rafa is preparing for vengeance on his pal Verdasco. That was a great match but clearly Rafa was not the same Rafa on that blue clay, like a player in Sarasota told me all it takes is a little bit for a player to be bothered and to start complaining to himself. He said Pella would have beaten Klahn today easily in Argentina but the Argies just don’t play as well in N. America as they do at home. Pella won in three sets but it was a battle. I really like Klahn. Rafa should handle Verdasco, could be another domination like that final. That was brutal.
Scoop Malinowski · April 15, 2013 at 9:37 pm
Mitch, they didn’t force each other to play poorly?
Dan Markowitz · April 15, 2013 at 10:02 pm
I was just watching Simon play Babtista-Agut, and what a war. The match went two sets and was over in 1:55. I’d have to say that even though the surface is forgiving, winning the French Open has to be the most grueling event in tennis.
Scoop, you see Stepanek is pairing with Dodig in MC and Paes with Melzer. I wonder if that is going to be the teams going forward or Paes and Stepanek will get together again after the Davis Cup. Paes is turning 40 in June.
Scoop Malinowski · April 15, 2013 at 10:35 pm
Dan it appears the very successful Paes-Step partnership has run it’s course. Paes-Llodra did not last long.
Tom van Doren · April 16, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Henk, we will arrive in Madrid the 23th in the morning, to prepare us for the tournament that will start Thursday the 25th. I’ll keep you updated, hopefully we can see eachother in Madrid as you mencioned. Hugs from Mexico.