Preview and Schedule Monte Carlo Masters Day Five: Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Draper and Stefanos Tsitsipas back in action

The schedule for Day Five of the Monte-Carlo Masters, to be played on Thursday, April 10, 2025, has been released. The Round of 16 is on, with stars like Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Draper, and defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in action.

After some early surprises, new opportunities have opened up in various sections of the draw, leaving the title race wide open. Carlos Alcaraz is the only Top-5 player left in the field, while names like Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud, and Andrey Rublev, who weren’t favourites at the start of the tournament, are beginning to dream big in Monte Carlo.

Jack Draper (No. 6) kicks off the day on the main court, facing the always tricky Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 42). The Brit is now the second-highest ranked player remaining after Alcaraz, and his current form has placed him among the favourites. He delivered a superb performance in his opening match, crushing Marcos Giron (No. 45) by 6-1, 6-1. Against a clay-court specialist like Davidovich, Draper will aim to prove that he can adjust well to slower surfaces.

Next up is arguably the new tournament favourite, Carlos Alcaraz (No. 3). The Spaniard secured his first-ever Monte Carlo win after defeating Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo. With early exits by Zverev and Djokovic, and the absences of Sinner and Fritz, the path has opened for the World No. 3. He will face Germany’s Daniel Altmaier (No. 84), in what will be a good test to confirm the level he showed in the comeback win over Cerúndolo (3-6, 6-1, 6-0).

In the afternoon, an all-Italian clash will feature 13th seed Lorenzo Musetti (No. 15) and Matteo Berrettini (No. 34), who enters with high confidence after knocking out top seed Alexander Zverev. Berrettini has reached a final in Madrid and the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, in addition to winning six clay-court titles. Their head-to-head is currently 1-1, though they’ve never faced off on clay. This is bound to be a treat for Italian fans, who, despite Jannik Sinner’s absence, still see their players dominating the headlines at major events.

The day will close with three-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas (No. 8), who had a tough opener against Jordan Thompson (No. 38). The Greek was inconsistent—especially on serve, hitting only 49% first serves—but bounced back from a set down to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-2. He’ll now face a tricky opponent in Nuno Borges, who has matured significantly on court in recent years. Borges won the 2024 Bastad Open on clay, defeating Rafael Nadal in the final.

The day starts with Andrey Rublev (No. 9), 2023 Monte Carlo champion, taking on 20-year-old Frenchman Arthur Fils (No. 15). Fils has had a strong few weeks, reaching the quarter-finals at both Indian Wells and Miami, and has proven himself on clay with good wins over Tallon Griekspoor and Flavio Cobolli. The 12th seed already owns two ATP titles on clay and has six wins over Top-10 players.

Then comes 4th seed Casper Ruud (No. 6), who faces Australian Alexei Popyrin (No. 38). The Norwegian cruised past Roberto Bautista Agut (No. 52) and now has a good chance to return to the spotlight on the clay of Monte Carlo. He reached the final here in 2024, and has also played finals at Roland Garros, winning 11 titles on clay and reaching six more finals. One of the Tour’s top clay-court specialists, Ruud could easily go deep if he builds momentum.

In the afternoon, 9th seed Daniil Medvedev (No. 11) will play Alex de Minaur (No. 10) in what looks to be a very even match. Although Medvedev isn’t fond of clay, his results speak for themselves—former Italian Open champion and Monte Carlo semifinalist. On the other side, de Minaur has quietly established himself in the top tier of the ATP. Medvedev leads their head-to-head 7-3, but De Minaur won their only clay encounter at the 2024 Roland Garros.

The day ends with Chilean surprise package Alejandro Tabilo (No. 32) facing Grigor Dimitrov (No. 18). Tabilo knocked out both Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic, claiming his second career win over the 24-time Grand Slam champion. After defeating two legends, he won’t be fazed by Dimitrov, who has taken out fellow Chilean Nicolás Jarry and local favourite Valentin Vacherot. They met previously at the 2024 Miami Open, where Dimitrov claimed victory.