Monte Carlo: Djokovic headlines exciting schedule

Monte Carlo’s centre court is stacked with exciting match-ups on Monday as the season’s first claycourt Masters event continues to unfold.

On Day 1 on Sunday, Karen Khachanov beat Thanasi Kokkinakis in the most notable of the first-round matches, and was joined in the second round by Daniil Medvedev and Mischa Zverev.

Zverev subdued Canadian teen Felix Auger-Aliassime in three sets while Medvedev pipped Marton Fucsovics 6-7(4) 6-2 7-5.

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— doublefault28 (@doublefault28) April 15, 2018

On Monday, Novak Djokovic will look to recapture some much-needed form at a tournament he’s won twice (2013 and 2015) in a city he now calls home.

> DJOKOVIC: “Keep your head in the game. I know I gotta keep mine.”

He’s third up on Court Rainier III – the tournament’s centre court – against fellow Serb Dusan Lajovic, who qualified for the main draw.

That match follows an intriguing clash between two former top-five players in Tomas Berdych and Kei Nishikori.

Nishikori, currently ranked 39th, has won four of his five career meetings with Berdych, who’s seeded No.12 in Monte Carlo. Berdych’s lone victory came in Monte Carlo back in 2012, their only meeting on clay.

Following Djokovic v Lajovic is an all-teenage battle between Denis Shapovalov and qualifier Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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— Stefanos Tsitsipas (@StefTsitsipas) April 15, 2018