Dominic Thiem vs Holger Rune Prediction & Betting Tips - ATP Monte Carlo Masters

Prediction published on 11/04/2023, 06:30  by Devesh Jaganath | Modified on 11/04/2023 at 07:39 in Tennis Predictions

Dominic Thiem and Holger Rune will get the ATP Monte Carlo Masters second round underway when the pair meet on the center court on Wednesday afternoon. Ranked 106th in the world, Thiem has found it difficult to rekindle the type of form he showed in the backend of last year when he reached the final in the Rennes challenger event and followed up with semi-final appearances in Gijon and Antwerp. This year, the Austrian has managed a very poor record of 4-8 and has suffered as many as six first-round eliminations in the nine tournaments he’s participated in. Thiem’s clay court form in recent times hasn’t been great either, managing a record of 8-11 in 2022 and 4-4 so far this year. Thiem competed at the clay court tournaments in Buenos Aires, Rio, and Santiago in February but failed to make it past the first round in two of those tournaments while bowing out in the second round of the other. The Austrian started off promisingly in Estoril last week, beating Ben Shelton and Sebastian Ofner in straight sets but couldn’t overcome Quentin Halys in the quarter-final, though that was Thiem’s best performance of the year. Going up against an in-form opponent here, Thiem will need to be at his absolute best to stand a chance of progressing. 

Holger Rune has improved consistently this year but hasn’t been able to secure any silverware since that unbelievable win at the Paris Masters last year, where he beat Novak Djokovic in a fascinating three sets. Still only 19 years of age, the Dane has cemented his spot in the top 10 rankings and now steps onto the clay court for the first time this year, having received a buy in the first round. Unlike his opponent, Rune has relished the clay surface over the last couple of years, with a record of 41-17 in 2021 and 21-11 last year. His last clay court tournament was at Roland Garros last year, where he looked very good, overcoming the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas and Denis Shapovalov before eventually coming up short against the formidable Casper Ruud in the quarter-final match. Rune has never played against Thiem in the past but will be confident that he can come out on top if he settles quickly on his favoured surface.