Monte Carlo Masters 2021: Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Cristian Garin preview, head-to-head & prediction
Match details
Fixture: (4) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs (16) Cristian Garin
Date: 15 April 2021
Tournament: Rolex Monte Carlo Masters 2021
Round: Third round (Round of 16)
Venue: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Category: ATP Masters 1000
Surface: Clay
Prize money: €2,082,960
Match timing: 11 am local time, 2.30 pm IST
Live telecast: USA - ESPN / Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Cristian Garin preview
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Cristian Garin will square off against each other in the third round of the 2021 Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday. Interestingly, this will be their second meeting in as many days; they also faced each other in doubles on Wednesday.
Tsitsipas, seeded fourth here, ousted Aslan Karatsev 6-3, 6-4 in the second round on Tuesday. Even though it was his first match on clay since his French Open defeat to Novak Djokovic last year, the Greek looked at ease right from the start. Tsitsipas fired nine winners and held his serve throughout, to send the Russian packing in just over an hour.
That was the 22-year-old's 18th win of the year, in which he has made it to the quarterfinals at every event barring the ATP Cup. It is also pertinent to note that Tsitsipas has lost only twice (in 20 matches) to opponents ranked outside the top 10 this year (Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Hubert Hurkacz).
Cristian Garin, meanwhile, comes into this match on a six-match claycourt winning streak. Garin won four matches during his Santiago Open title run last month, and has now won two more matches in the Principality.
In the first round, Garin ousted Toni Nadal’s pupil Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets. The 24-year-old trailed Auger-Aliassime 2-5 in the opening set but he mounted a spirited comeback, ultimately winning 7-6 (3), 6-1.
Garin then proceeded to beat John Millman on Wednesday, clinching the fixture by a scoreline of 6-1, 6-4.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Cristian Garin head-to-head
Stefanos Tsitsipas leads Cristian Garin 1-0 in the head-to-head on the ATP Tour. The two had locked horns with each other at the 2020 Hamburg Open (clay), where Tsitsipas had triumphed 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.
Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Cristian Garin prediction
This match has all the makings of a claycourt classic between two established players.
Cristian Garin has been serving well in Monte Carlo so far; the Chilean has dropped serve just twice so far. Stefanos Tsitsipas on his part is yet to be broken, although it should be noted that he has played just one match given his first-round bye.
The Round of 16 clash on Thursday is likely to be decided by very fine margins, especially since both players are comfortable playing long rallies from the back of the court. But while Garin has the variety to close out points in his favor, he lacks the extra bit of power that Tsitsipas possesses.
The Greek is likely to find it easier to strike winners, especially when he gets a short ball. And that could well tilt the scales in his favor.
Prediction: Stefanos Tsitsipas to win in three sets