Francisco Cerundolo will face world no. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in the Monte Carlo Masters second round. The Argentine sailed past Fabio Fognini in the opening match, arranging his third clash versus the four-time Major champion.
Carlos defeated Francisco in their previous two matches, but they will meet on clay for the first time. Cerundolo hopes to challenge Alcaraz and seek his first victory over one of the world’s best players.
HIGHLIGHTS: Carlos beats Francisco to reach the semi-final! 🙌
That’s the Spaniards 16th consecutive victory in California 🇺🇸😱 pic.twitter.com/eo8PXSbkOO
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) March 14, 2025
Carlos is seeking his second title of the season after Rotterdam. He lost the Indian Wells crown to Jack Draper and experienced an early Miami Open loss against David Goffin. The Spaniard will have to dig deep to achieve a good result in Monte Carlo, starting from the opening match!
Their first duel on the Tour came at last year’s ATP 500 event at Queen’s. Carlos earned a 6-1, 7-5 victory, dominating the opening set and prevailing in the second to avoid a decider. They fought again a couple of weeks ago in Indian Wells.
Carlos Alcaraz, Monte Carlo 2025© Stream screenshot
The defending champion scored a 6-3, 7-6 victory in the quarter-final, providing his 16th straight triumph in the desert. The Spaniard erased a 4-1 deficit in the second set and prevailed in the tie break to emerge at the top and reach the semi-final.
Francisco is ready to challenge Carlos in Monte Carlo, making a reliable start to the tournament and hoping for a notable victory on the big scene.
Francisco Cerundolo, Indian Wells 2025© Stream screenshot
“I have played against Carlos on grass and hard. Now it’s time to challenge him on clay, and maybe it will be third time lucky. I do not know if clay is my surface because I have been playing well on hard too. However, I grew up on clay and played on it my entire life.
Facing Carlos is always challenging. He is capable of playing amazing tennis on any surface. We played a good match in Indian Wells in tough windy and cold conditions,” Francisco Cerundolo said.
Tennis World USA