Monte Carlo Rolex Masters 2013 “ The Draw”

The first major event of clay court season in 2013 season has arrived.  Its draw has been revealed.  Roger Federer is not playing this event due to limited tournaments schedule.  Also David Ferrer is skipping this event due to some injury this year.  However other top players are participating.  Djokovic, Nadal, Murray and Berdych are top four seeds in the first masters 1000 on clay.  Following is detailed analysis of this tournament’s draw. 

Novak Djokovic’s Quarter:

Novak Djokovic is seeded 1^st at this tournament this year.  He has first round bye as all top eight seeds enjoy this previlledge.  Djokovic was runner up to Rafael Nadal here last year.  He is bidding for his first title here.  He is also looking for his first ever clay court title since 2011 BNL d-Italia Rome title.  Mikhail Youzhny is the man who could be his possible opponent in the 2^nd round.  In third round he can face tricky opponents either John Isner or Juan Monaco.  Juan Monaco is clay court specialist and Isner is a huge server.  In the quarter finals he can face Juan Martin Del Potro, who knows how to beat Djokovic.  He did that at Indian wells this year when he was a set down.  Therefore this match would be an epic. 

Tomas Berdych’s Quarter:

World no 5 Tomas Berdych is seeded no 4 due absence of Federe and Ferrer.  His 2^nd round opponent could be either Spanish young man Granollers or Czech Radek Stepanek.  In the 3^rd round he can face Italian veteran Andreas Seppi, who knows how to beat tough opponents on clay.  So this match would be an interesting one.  In the Quarter Finals he can face French man Richard Gasquet or Croatian Marin Cilic.  Both of these will battle in third round to qualify for quarters.  Both of these matches will be interesting to watch in early rounds. 

Rafael Nadal’s Quarter:

Here is man to beat at Monte Carlo for last eight years.  No one could catch him at slow clay of Monte Carlo.  He is again looking like a man to beat here.  He has already won two clay court titles this year.  He has given a kind draw until his quarter finals.  But he have to face a very tricky opponent in the 2^nd round, Fernando Verdasco.  He was the only man who beat Nadal on clay last year.  Verdasco has always created troubles for Nadal.  So this match will be most interesting match to watch in 2^nd round.  In the third 3^rd round He could face German Philip Kohlshreiber in the third round who beat Nadal in Gerry Weber last year.  In the Quarterfinals he can face either Janko Tipserevic or Gilles Simon.  Nadal can handle all these obstacles very well on clay. 

Andy Murray’s Quarters:

Andy Murray is no 2 player in the world.  Clay has been his worst surface.  He did not win a clay title for years.  He could never beat Nadal on clay.  His draw is tough one.  He can face either Robin Haas or Gael Monfils in the 2^nd round.  In the 3^rd round he can face Stanilas Wawrinka, who is undoubtedly the trickiest player in the draw.  He has beaten Murray on grand slam stages also.  Therefore he knows how to compete with Murray.  So this match will also be astonishing.  In the quarterfinals Murray’s opponent can be Tsonga or Almagro who fight to qualify for quarterfinals in the third round. 

Semi Finals:

1) Djokovic vs Berdych

Prediction:  Djokovic bt Berdych

2) Nadal vs Murray

Prediction: Nadal bt Murray

Final:  Nadal bt Djokovic