Monte Carlo Masters: Popyrin and De Minaur launch clay-court seasons in model | 9 April, 2025 | All Information | Information and Options | Information and Occasions

Within the first main European clay-court occasion of the 2025 season, Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin have every supplied glimpses they might take pleasure in their finest seasons but on the floor as they got here from a set down of their matches to ebook last-16 locations.

Within the yr after De Minaur confirmed his finest clay-court kind as a Roland Garros quarterfinalist, Australia’s world No.10 produced an emphatic comeback to subdue Czech Tomas Machac 3-6 6-0 6-3.

Based mostly on his wonderful returning grinding down the Czech, de Minaur’s win arrange the No.8 seed with a round-of-16 date in opposition to No.9 Daniil Medvedev, who got here via a testing encounter with Frenchman Alexandre Muller 7-6 (6) 5-7 6-2.

Will probably be ‘Demon’s’ first encounter with Medvedev for the reason that Aussie was crushed in final yr’s ATP Finals, however he’ll be eager to repeat his shock victory over the Russian at Roland Garros which earned him his first last-eight berth on the clay-court Slam.

De Minaur had been scheduled to probably meet Novak Djokovic within the quarterfinals, but it surely’s again to the drafting board for the 24-time main champion, who described his efficiency in a straight-sets loss to Chilean Alejandro Tabilo as “horrible”.

Former Roland Garros boys’ champ Popyrin, in the meantime, confirmed indicators that first rate clay-court marketing campaign awaits as he received his second match in two days from a set down, 3-6 6-3 6-3, in opposition to American No.14 seed Frances Tiafoe.

It gave the 25-year-old Sydneysider, who blasted 27 winners, a measure of revenge for his defeat by Tiafoe in final yr’s US Open.

It’s additionally the primary match in 2025 through which Popyrin has received two matches, after getting into Monte Carlo with a dismal 2-7 report.

He subsequent faces No.4 seed, two-time French Open finalist Casper Ruud, within the last-16 after the Norwegian hammered Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2 6-1.