Thursday tennis acca tips: Novak Djokovic out for revenge against Lorenzo Musetti

Novak Djokovic will get a chance to avenge a defeat to Lorenzo Musetti from last season when they meet again at the Monte Carlo Masters.

It will be the first meeting since Musetti beat Djokovic in the last 16 last term and they meet at the same stage of the tournament again.

Musetti may feel he needs a miracle to get past the GOAT contender another time.

Here we make out picks for that match and the seven others scheduled to take place in Monte Carlo on Thursday.

With two Round of 32 matches left unfinished on Tuesday, one of the Round of 16 matches is not yet set although Holger Rune and Grigor Dimitrov are a set up in their respective matches.

 

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Alex De Minaur vs Alexei Popyrin | Pick: De Minaur

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Alexander Zverev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas | Pick: Zverev

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Hubert Hurkacz vs Casper Ruud | Pick: Ruud

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Jan-Lennard Struff vs Jannik Sinner | Pick: Sinner

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Karen Khachanov vs Daniil Medvedev | Pick: Medvedev

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Lorenzo Sonego vs Ugo Humbert | Pick: Humbert

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Novak Djokovic vs Lorenzo Musetti | Pick: Djokovic

 

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ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Alex De Minaur vs Alexei Popyrin

There will be an Australian in the last eight in Monte Carlo as Alex De Minaur and countryman Alexei Popyrin contest a Round of 16 clash.

The two Aussies are locked at 1-1 in their head-to-head and both have won twice on clay this season.

De Minaur and Popryin have also both pulled off upsets of sorts so far in Monte Carlo.

Popyrin defeated defending champion Andrey Rublev in the previous round and De Minaur bested former French Open champion Stan Wawrinka to start his 2024 clay swing with a win.

 

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Alexander Zverev vs Stefanos Tsitsipas

While Stefanos Tsitsipas leads Alexander Zverev 9-5 in their head-to-head, the German won their last meeting at the United Cup earlier this year.

Tsitsipas has the skills to be a nightmare on clay but hasn't found his best game yet this term.

The Greek No 1 may even have hit the end of the road in Monte Carlo as he faces the top German.

When they met in the 2022 Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals, Zverev had no answer to Tsitsipas but is likely to have come up with some plans to best his rival.

 

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Hubert Hurkacz vs Casper Ruud

Hubert Hurkacz and Casper Ruud have contested eight sets of tennis to date and won four each.

Across two clashes they have gone the distance twice including a five set battle at the 2022 French Open.

Ruud has a slight edge in recent form holding a 21-6 season record in 2024 against the 21-8 record held by the Pole.

Hurkacz has won six straight matches after claiming his eighth career title in Estoril last week.

 

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Jan-Lennard Struff vs Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner will be out to repeat his no fuss win over Jan-Lennard Struff at Indian Wells from a month ago when they meet in Monte Carlo.

Sinner leads the head-to-head 1-0 with that clash also being then first between the players.

Naturally the Australian Open champion is having the better season and remains in the hunt for another Masters' title.

Sinner can win his third Masters title if he can triumph in the place where he maintains his residence.

 

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Karen Khachanov vs Daniil Medvedev

It's an all-Russian battle for a place in the last eight and one where Daniil Medvedev will have his hands full.

Medvedev holds a 5-1 lead in their head-to-head coming into this match but has never faced his countryman on clay.

Medvedev has greatly improved his game on the surface and this should be a test of his progress.

Khachanov could still end up coming short to his national rival in their seventh singles meeting on the ATP Tour.

 

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Lorenzo Sonego vs Ugo Humbert

Ugo Humbert may have won the last meeting between these two players but it is Lorenozo Sonego who has come out on top both times they have played a match on clay.

Humbert beat Sonego in Beijing last season but they haven't locked horns on clay since the 2023 French Open.

Humbert will want to keep things tight to start to avoid playing the catchup game against Sonego.

The Frenchman won the opening set when they met in Monte Carlo a year ago but he couldn't get the job done.

 

ATP Monte Carlo Masters: Novak Djokovic vs Lorenzo Musetti

Djokovic will be out to secure his fourth win over Musetti and put a loss to the Italian at this event last season out of his mind.

The draw has opened up nicely for Djokovic but he still needs to win the matches to claim another Masters title.

Musetti has already beaten a top 20 player this week after beating No 13 Taylor Fritz to open.

Djokovic however looked lean and mean in putting away Russian journeyman Roman Safiullin.