Andrey Rublev vs Taylor Fritz Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Monte Carlo Masters

Prediction published on 14/04/2023, 11:13  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 15/04/2023 at 15:21 in Tennis Predictions

it's the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals but none of the top four seeds have made it this far. Fifth seeded Andrey Rublev is the highest one left now and takes on Taylor Fritz who at eighth is the lowest remaining seed. The winner of this semi-final takes on either sixth seeded Holger Rune or the seventh seed Holger Rune. Rublev is bidding to reach the final here for the second time in three years. In the last eight  he defeated Jan-Lennard Struff in the last eight. The first set was won for the loss of just one game but it needed a tie-break in the second to clinch the match. This is a great start to his clay court season but even if winning the title for the first time he can't move any higher than his current sixth in the world. He's only lost one set on his way to this Monte Carlo Masters semi-final. That was in his first match against Jaume Munar. He's 4-2 down in previous meetings against Fritz, The last three have all been lost but this is their first ever meeting on a clay court.

Taylor Fritz ended the run of two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last round. He beat the Greek in straight sets for the loss of just six games. This is his first semi-final in a major clay court tournament. His previous best was reaching the quarter finals here last year. He's tenth in the live rankings but will move up to ninth if winning this match. In terms of points earned this year, Fritz is sixth but a win over Rublev will take him up to fifth. This year has seen him have a successful season on hard courts but now he has to prove he can be a major force on clay too. So far that's gone well with wins over Wawrina, Lehecka and Tsitsipas. We feel it's Rublev who can put his better form on clay to good use and reach the final.