The past three days have been a whirlwind for World No. 198 Ivan Gakhov, whose Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters journey will become even more surreal on Tuesday when he plays World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

“[I am] speechless at the moment. Still cannot [believe it]. Even dreaming I think it’s tough to understand what just happened the last couple of days,” Gakhov told ATPTour.com. “No matter points, money, the best reward is to play the greatest of all time tomorrow. That’s the best I could ask for.”

Early Friday, Gakhov did not know he would get into qualifying at the clay-court ATP Masters 1000 event. In fact, the 26-year-old needed several dominoes to fall in his favour just to claim a spot in the draw as an alternate.

Yannick Hanfmann, Alexandre Muller, Roberto Carballes Baena and Quentin Halys were all entered in Monte-Carlo qualifying, but were still competing in other tournaments. Because of that, they were removed from the Monte-Carlo qualifying field, creating room for four alternates: Ilya Ivashka, Joao Sousa, Vit Kopriva and Gakhov.

If any of the four players had lost on Friday before the deadline of 9 p.m. local in Monte-Carlo and decided to still compete, Gakhov would have been out of luck. Instead, he was able to play in ATP Masters 1000 qualifying for the first time.

Gakhov’s flight into town landed at 8:18 Saturday morning and later that day he took on Top 50 player Adrian Mannarino, rallying to stun the Frenchman 1-6, 6-0, 6-1. The 26-year-old on Sunday ousted rapidly rising #NextGenATP Frenchman Luca Van Assche 6-3, 0-6, 6-2 to earn his place in the main draw.

On Monday, the lefty Gakhov earned a big win for the third consecutive day when he eliminated American Mackenzie McDonald 7-6(6), 2-6, 6-3 to earn his shot at Djokovic. Not bad for the fourth alternate into qualifying who had previously played just one tour-level match. 

Now up to No. 161 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, Gakhov is excited for the challenge of playing two-time Monte-Carlo champion Djokovic.

“I really love Novak, so usually I always cheer for him and he was playing these crazy matches against Rafa and Federer, so it’s really an honour. But I will try to, with respect obviously, face him tomorrow like it’s just another match,” Gakhov said. “I will have my coach with me and we will just study him as one more player. We’re all humans, I know it. Sometimes I think Novak is not, but we all have our weak points and we will try to just find out where it is and I will try to do my best.”

Gakhov did not grow up in a tennis family. His parents, Elena and Andrey, did not have a sports background, but they wanted him to participate in sports “because it’s healthy and in general it’s better than doing nothing”. He played at a local junior academy and enjoyed success at a young age. The lefty remembers the 2005 Australian Open semi-final between Marat Safin and Roger Federer, which Safin won 9-7 in a gripping five-set thriller. “[The match] made me fall in love with this sport,” Gakhov said.

With aspirations of becoming a professional, he moved to Spain aged 14, spending more than seven years in Gandia, a small city in Valencia. Then Gakhov moved to Barcelona, where he has been based ever since. Sometimes he practises with Andrey Rublev.

“He helped me last year with some clothing because I don’t have any clothing sponsors,” Gakhov said. “Daniil [Medvedev] is also a very good friend of mine because we play some games together by phone or by PlayStation. Karen [Khachanov] here congratulated me after every win, so we have a good friendship between [us].”

 

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Gakhov spends the most time playing fantasy football with Medvedev.

“We try to build our team and it depends how they do in real life, especially in the English Premier League. That’s why we follow a lot because we play with a lot of friends,” Gakhov said. “Daniil has the same passion playing for nothing [in] this football game [as he does] on the tennis court, so it’s unbelievable his fighting spirit.

“He always wants to win and he lives every moment.”

Real Madrid fan Gakhov enjoys football, Formula 1 and snooker. But another interesting tidbit about him is that he has a large tattoo of a serotonin molecule on the right side of his neck.

“It was a normal Sunday. Me and my sister, who is older than me [by] like nine years, we decided to do something together. It’s serotonin, which means happiness,” Gakhov recalled. “We just decided, ‘Let’s do it’ and I think the same day we went and we did it. I really like it.”

Gakhov’s coaching team includes Miguel Sanchez, Salvador Navarro and Ivan Muguruza, who have a wealth of experience, having individually worked with the likes of Tommy Robredo, Juan Carlos Ferrero and Flavia Pennetta. Sanchez is joining Gakhov in Monte-Carlo for his match against Djokovic.

Although the past few days have been a rollercoaster, Gakhov is getting used to such feelings. Two weeks ago he won his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Girona, Spain. Now the 26-year-old will try to reach his greatest height yet against the No. 1 player in the world.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic is back in action Tuesday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas begins his quest for a three-peat in the Principality.

In Djokovic’s first match since Dubai, the Serbian will meet qualifier Ivan Gakhov. World No. 3 Tsitsipas will meet Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi for a third time in the final match on Court Rainier III. Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, and Hubert Hurkacz are also among those on Tuesday’s packed card.

Here are three second-round matches to watch during Day 3 at the Monte-Carlo Country Club.

View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw | View Schedule

[1] Novak Djokovic (SRB) vs. [Q] Ivan Gakhov

Boasting a 15-1 record this season, Djokovic will look to maintain his form with hopes of achieving a record-extending 39th ATP Masters 1000 title. The 35-year-old, who is a two-time champion in Monte-Carlo, will begin his title quest against the lefty Gakhov, who advanced through qualifying as an alternate and defeated American Mackenzie McDonald in the opening round.

Hungry to strengthen his claim as World No. 1, Djokovic comes into Monte-Carlo only defending second-round points from last year. The 93-time tour-level titlist sets his sights on a strong run at the season’s first clay-court Masters 1000 event.

“I have done more training on clay, which is positive if you think about the clay season,” Djokovic said in his pre-tournament press conference. “I have not had much success in Monte-Carlo in the past two seasons. I haven’t played great tennis here, so I am hoping this year I can start the clay season better than in previous years and build my form.”

Gakhov enjoyed a breakthrough earlier this month at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Girona, Spain, where he captured his maiden Challenger title. The World No. 198 looks to build upon his momentum to achieve the biggest win of his career.

[2] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. Benjamin Bonzi (FRA)

In 2022, Tsitsipas and the Frenchman Bonzi met twice, with the Greek prevailing both times on the grass courts of Halle and Mallorca. Tuesday’s clash on the red dirt will bring new challenges for the World No. 3, who hasn’t lost in Monte-Carlo since 2019.

Tsitsipas has enjoyed success on clay in the past, claiming four titles on the surface.

“I really like the tactical analysis of clay-court tennis. I think it is deeper than people think. There is a lot of strategy involved,” Tsitsipas said in his pre-tournament press conference. “You are not expecting to hit crazy winners on a surface like clay. You are dealing with much patience when you are playing. It involves more around unforced and forced errors. The way you can open the court. The main priority is not to hit a winner, but be precise and open the court.”

Bonzi started the year on a strong note. The 26-year-old earned his career-best Grand Slam result at the Australian Open, where he reached the third round. The Nimes-native was a finalist at the ATP 250 events in Pune and Marseille. The World No. 48 is aiming for his first Top-10 win when he goes toe-to-toe with Tsitsipas.

[10] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs. Jack Draper (GBR)

The Pole Hurkacz was a quarter-finalist in Monte-Carlo and Madrid last year before his run to the fourth round at Roland Garros. But things didn’t look so positive for the World No. 13 during Sunday’s opening round. Hurkacz clawed past Laslo Djere after three hours, 19 minutes and saved a match point en route to earning his 50th ATP Masters 1000 main-draw win.

Draper produced a strong first-round performance, including saving 11 of 12 break points faced to down Sebastian Baez 6-3, 7-5. Making his event debut this week in Monte-Carlo, Draper is targeting an upset of the 10th seed to level their ATP Head2Head at one apiece.

Also In Action…

#NextGenATP star Ben Shelton and last year’s Monte-Carlo semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov kickoff first-round play on Court des Princes. The 20-year-old Shelton earned his first red-clay victory last week in Estoril. Alexander Zverev, seeded 13th, looks to flip the script against Alexander Bublik, who has won both of their previous two encounters.

Two Spanish players will aim for an upset in the Principality. Jaume Munar meets fifth seed Andrey Rublev and last year’s finalist Alejandro Davidovich Fokina clashes against ninth seed Karen Khachanov.

In doubles action, fourth seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic face Top 10 singles players Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune.

Dominic Thiem earned his first win at an ATP Masters 1000 event since 2021 on Monday when he overcame Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-1, 6-4 at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The Austrian had lost his past five matches at this level, having defeated Marton Fucsovics in Rome in May 2021 prior to his wrist injury. However, the former World No. 3 produced a clean-hitting performance against Gasquet to triumph at an ATP Masters 1000 event again after one hour and 29 minutes.

“At the start I played very well,” Thiem said. “It was good for me that I broke him. I was going ahead the whole match. I am pleased with the performance. Richard is in good form, he already won a tournament this year. It is always tough but at the same time nice to play him because he has such a nice game and is a legend of tennis.”

Thiem moved well throughout the clash and opened his shoulders to strike 18 winners. The wild card now leads Gasquet 3-2 in their ATP Head2Head series, having won their past three meetings.

The 29-year-old enjoyed a run to his first tour-level quarter-final of the season in Estoril last week and will look to back that up in the Principality, where he is making his seventh appearance.

“It is important to get matches and you only get them if you win, so last week was a very good step with the quarter-finals,” Thiem said. “Here [it] is very nice to win a match, and it is my first win at an [ATP Masters] 1000 tournament for a long time.”

Thiem, who has clinched 10 of his 17 tour-level titles on clay and has made two Masters 1000 finals on the surface, will next face sixth seed Holger Rune.

In other action, Diego Schwartzman moved past David Goffin 6-4, 6-2 to reach the second round. The Argentine, who advanced to the quarter-finals in Monte-Carlo last season, will next face seventh seed Jannik Sinner.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Petros Tsitsipas won a first-round thriller at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Monday when they clawed past Grigor Dimitrov and Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(3), 6-7(4), 10-5 in the Principality.

The Greek brothers converted both break points they faced, before they raised their level in the Match Tie-break to earn their second win of the season as a team after one hour and 50 minutes.

They will next face Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer, who have enjoyed success as a team on clay, triumphing at Roland Garros last season.

Singles stars Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune advanced, moving past Italians Simone Bolelli and Lorenzo Musetti to set a second-round meeting against fourth seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic.

Andreas Mies and Fabrice Martin saved two match points en route to a 6-3, 4-6, 11-9 victory against Francisco Cerundolo and Daniel Evans, while Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden edged Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.

Did You Know?
Stefanos Tsitsipas has won back-to-back singles titles at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

Japan’s Shintaro Mochizuki enjoyed a dream week at the Barletta Challenger, where he became the fourth teenage ATP Challenger Tour champion this season.

The 19-year-old, who won the 2019 Wimbledon boys’ singles title, downed Santiago Rodriguez Taverna 6-1, 6-4 in Sunday’s final to win the Open Citta della Disfida.

Mochizuki’s maiden Challenger trophy comes as a great reward to him and his new coach, former World No. 42 Davide Sanguinetti.

“He’s been helping me the last couple months,” Mochizuki said of the Italian. “It’s been really good. I’m getting a lot of confidence in my game as well. I think how he played when he was playing and how I play is a little bit similar. So I think we are a good match.”

Mochizuki’s semi-final against Franco Agamenone was delayed to Sunday, due to rain, with the Japanese player leading 6-4, 5-7, 3-0. After applying the finishing touches on the Italian, whom Mochizuki beat 6-2 in the decider, the Kawasaki-native returned to court to play his first Challenger final.

Now at a career-high No. 216 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, Mochizuki joins Arthur Fils, Luca Van Assche, and Hamad Medjedovic as teenage Challenger champions in 2023.

Shintaro Mochizuki is crowned champion at the 2023 Barletta Challenger. Credit: Open Citta della Disfida

A longtime fan of Roger Federer, Mochizuki was once the Swiss’ hitting partner at the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals after the 20-time major champion caught eye of the Japanese’s junior Wimbledon title that year.

“He’s my hero,” Mochizuki said of Federer in March 2021. “At the [2019] Nitto ATP Finals, I was there as a hitting partner and I got to hit with him. It was a dream. In tennis he hits so easy, just relaxed when he’s playing.

“Many people are just playing with the power and emotions, but he’s just hitting balls so easy. He taught me that if you have any chances to play bigger events, just go for it.”

In other Challenger Tour action, Matteo Arnaldi captured his second Challenger title of the season at the Costa Calida Region de Murcia in Spain, where the 22-year-old dropped just one set all week. In the championship match, the Italian defeated Borna Gojo 6-4, 7-6(4).

Arnaldi, who won the Tenerife-2 Challenger in February, competed at the 2022 Next Gen ATP Finals as an alternate, but suffered a round-robin exit.

At a career-high No. 102 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, Arnaldi now sets his sights on cracking the Top 100 for the first time.

Much like Arnaldi, the Murcia Challenger finalist Gojo is eyeing a Top 100 debut. The Croatian, who also reached the Monterrey Challenger final (l. Borges) in February, is at a career-high No. 108 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings.

Chilean Tomas Barrios Vera earned his second Challenger title and first since August 2021 by claiming the San Luis Open. The 25-year-old ousted Dominik Koepfer 7-6(6), 7-5 to win on the clay courts of San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

Tomas Barrios Vera celebrates winning the San Luis Potosi Challenger. Credit: San Luis Open

Despite falling to Koepfer in the second round of last week’s Mexico City Challenger, where the German went on to triumph, the third seed Barrios Vera avenged his loss to the 28-year-old, improving to 13-6 at the Challenger level this year.

Earlier this season, Barrios Vera reached his maiden tour-level quarter-final in Cordoba before falling to eventual champion Sebastian Baez.

Alex de Minaur made an emphatic start to his clay-court season Monday, when he cruised past former World No. 1 Andy Murray 6-1, 6-3 to reach the second round at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

Making his third appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 event, the Australian outmanoeuvred Murray on the clay in Monaco, pulling the Scot from corner to corner to triumph after 87 minutes.

With his 13th tour-level win of the season, De Minaur has improved to 3-0 in his ATP Head2Head series against Murray, who was making his first appearance in the Principality since 2017.

The 14th seed De Minaur, whose best result at an ATP Masters 1000 event was a fourth-round run last year in Indian Wells, will next play Jan-Lennard Struff. The German moved past Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-4, 6-3.

Murray, who is 8-6 on the year, was making his 10th appearance in Monte-Carlo. The 35-year-old advanced to the semi-finals at the event in 2009, 2011 and 2016.

Former champion Stan Wawrinka is up and running at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. The Swiss star earned a comeback victory against Tallon Griekspoor on Monday, when he overcame the Dutchman 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round.

Competing in front of a packed crowd on Court Rainier III, the 38-year-old Wawrinka rolled back the years to earn his 22nd win at the ATP Masters 1000 event. The former World No. 3 struck 35 winners and sealed victory on his sixth match point to advance after two hours and 25 minutes.

“It was really important to stay calm with myself,” Wawrinka said. “In the first round you need to find your game. The first match on clay is never easy against a good player. I am happy to get through. It was important to fight until the end.”

Wawrinka, who won the title in the Principality in 2014, levelled his ATP Head2Head series against Griekspoor at 1-1. The wild card will next play eighth-seeded American Taylor Fritz.

“He is an amazing player,” Wawrinka said on Fritz. “He is Top 10, been winning a lot of matches. Winning a lot of tournaments. He is very dangerous on many surfaces.”

Wawrinka arrived in Monte-Carlo off the back of a run to the fourth round in Indian Wells, where he earned victory against Top 10 star Holger Rune. Wawrinka has lifted seven of his 16 tour-level trophies on clay, including Roland Garros in 2015.

In other action, Francisco Cerundolo overcame World no. 14 Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4 to earn the seventh Top 20 win of his career.

The Argentine won 90 per cent (26/29) of his first-serve points and struck 24 winners to advance after 72 minutes, levelling his ATP Head2Head series against Norrie at 1-1. The 24-year-old will next play Matteo Berrettini or Maxime Cressy.

Cerundolo, who lifted his only tour-level title on clay in Bastad last season, arrived in Monte-Carlo off the back of a run to the quarter-finals in Miami, where he beat Top 10 star Felix Auger-Aliassime.

Italian Matteo Berrettini moved past Maxime Cressy 6-4, 6-2 to snap a three-match losing streak. The 26-year-old has struggled to find his best level this season and will be hoping he can kickstart his season with a deep run in his third appearance in the Principality.

The World No. 22, who saved both break points he faced against Cressy, will next meet Cerundolo.

“It has been a tough start to the year for many reasons. But I am back and I am fighting and playing tennis at a beautiful tournament,” Berrettini said. “I am really happy with the win and thought the level was high.”

Jack Draper made a winning start on debut at the ATP Masters 1000 event, moving past Argentine Sebastian Baez 6-3, 7-5. The 21-year-old lefty, who enjoyed a run to the semi-finals in Adelaide earlier this year will next face 10th seed Hubert Hurkacz.

A three-tournament week on the ATP Tour saw Frances Tiafoe, Casper Ruud and Roberto Carballes Baena win titles in Houston, Estoril and Marrakech, respectively.

ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week as of Monday, 10 April 2023.

View Pepperstone ATP Rankings

No. 11 Frances Tiafoe, +4 (Career High)
The American has climbed four spots to a career-high No. 11 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings after winning his second tour-level title at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship. Following rain in Houston, Tiafoe completed the entirety of his Houston run in two days. He won two matches on Saturday before repeating the feat on Sunday, defeating Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the final. Read Houston Final Report & Watch Highlights.

No. 4 Casper Ruud, +1
The Norwegian has jumped one spot after winning his first tour-level title of the season and the 10th of his career at the Millennium Estoril Open. The 24-year-old arrived at the clay-court ATP 250 holding a 5-6 record on the season. However, he produced a series of resilient performances to earn a confidence-boosting title. Read Estoril Final Report & Watch Highlights.

No. 49 Roberto Carballes Baena, +33 (Career High)
The 30-year-old has cracked the Top 50 for the first time after he won his second tour-level title at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Marrakech. The Spaniard won four three-set matches en route to the title, defeating seeded opponents Maxime Cressy, Tallon Griekspoor and Daniel Evans. He then clawed past Alexandre Muller in the final. Read Marrakech Final Report & Watch Highlights.

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 34 Miomir Kecmanovic, +6
No. 46 J.J. Wolf, +8
No. 59 Tomas Martin Etcheverry, +14 (Career High)
No. 66 Quentin Halys, +14
No. 81 Marco Cecchinato, +15
No. 96 Alexandre Muller, +30 (Career High)

Frances Tiafoe has become a bona fide star on the ATP Tour with his performances over the past year, and the American now has his second tour-level title to underline his undeniable progress.

The fan favourite showed style and substance in his 7-6(1), 7-6(6) victory against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in Sunday’s final at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since his maiden trophy run in 2018 at Delray Beach.

Addressing his Argentine opponent during the trophy ceremony, Tiafoe said: “I don’t know you that well, but I know you real well after today. It was an absolute war and an unbelievable final. I hope you guys [in the crowd] all enjoyed it, because that’s what it’s about.

“My second title, here in Houston on U.S. soil, so thank you!” he continued, sharing that his girlfriend, Canadian tennis player Ayan Broomfield, surprised him by showing up in the stands for the title match.

The top seed at an event for the first time in his career, Tiafoe completed the entirety of his Houston run in two days after persistent rain delayed play for three days during the week. After winning two matches on Saturday, the 25-year-old repeated the feat on Sunday with a semi-final win against Gijs Brouwer before his final victory.

Tiafoe did not lose a set en route to the title at the ATP 250 and dropped serve only once at the event, when a few nervy misses prevented him from serving out the final at 5-4 in the second set. His trophy run will lift him four places to a new career high of No. 11 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings on Monday.

Tiafoe thrilled the Houston crowd with spectacular shotmaking throughout the one-hour, 53-minute championship match, producing some of his best points at the most crucial moments.

After the opening set passed by without a break point, Tiafoe broke open the tie-break with a running backhand passing shot that gave him a 5/1 lead. In set two, after aggressive returning brought him to 0/40 at 2-2, the American hit the shot of the match to secure his first and only break — a half-volley from the baseline that left Etcheverry stranded and stunned.

Tiafoe was in attack mode from first ball to last on the red clay, his power tennis matched only by his stylish flair. While his level briefly dipped late in the second set, the American regrouped from 1/3 and 3/5 down in the second-set tie-break, winning lengthy rallies at 5/5 and 6/6 before clinching victory on his second match point with his 12th ace of the match.

His title breakthrough comes after four straight final defeats from 2018-22, including two last season in Estoril and Tokyo. Tiafoe also made waves on the Grand Slam stage last season by reaching the US Open semi-finals.

Argentina’s Etcheverry was seeking his first ATP Tour title after losing the Santiago final to Nicolas Jarry earlier this season. He will also reach a new career high in Monday’s Pepperstone ATP Rankings, which will see him move up 14 places to No. 59.