. Djokovic big favorite

The world No. 1 lacks competition since, after winning his first two tournaments of the year (Adelaide 1 and Australian Open where he equaled Nadal's record of 22 Grand Slam titles), he has not played since his defeat in the semifinals in Dubai on March 3.

But the Serb, who turns 36 on May 22, was able to take advantage of all this time to prepare to play on clay when his main opponents left forces - and sometimes more - to fight on the hard American in Indian Wells and Miami.

Holder of the record of 38 Masters 1000 titles, Djokovic won only twice on Monegasque clay in 2013 and 2015 and, since, has not gone beyond the quarters.

The planets, however, seem to be well aligned this year.

. Nadal and Alcaraz absent

With the forfeits of Rafael Nadal (14th) and Carlos Alcaraz (2nd), but also of Félix Auger-Aliassime (7th), the tournament that was to mark the reunion of the elite - the Top 20 as a whole was expected - lost in a few minutes Tuesday a large part of its assets.

Spain's Rafael Nadal during the Australian Open on January 18, 2023 © Martin KEEP / AFP

Nadal, who has won a record eleven times in the Principality, feels insufficiently recovered from the left leg injury that precipitated his elimination in the second round in Melbourne. At 36, and even 37 on June 3, he knows that retirement is getting closer and closer and his preparation is entirely devoted to Roland-Garros where he will aim for a fifteenth trophy to bring to 23 the record of major titles.

Alcaraz, on the other hand, still has a lot to prove.

By becoming the youngest world No. 1 last year at 19, he has established himself as the future of tennis. He has since been engaged in a crossover with Djokovic on the world throne, but post-traumatic arthritis in his left hand and muscle discomfort in his back have pushed back the possibility of a second direct clash with the Serb... who lost the first, last year in the semi-finals in Madrid.

In the absence of Gaël Monfils, finally insufficiently recovered from the wrist injury that forced him to retire in the first round in Miami, the Blues will be led by their N.1 Richard Gasquet (42nd).

. Contenders

"I'm going to aim for the treble," two-time defending champion Stefanos Tsitsipas said Saturday, whose latest results do not bode well.

Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas during the ATP tournament in Rotterdam on February 16, 2023 © Sander Koning / ANP / AFP

The 24-year-old Greek, ranked 3rd in the world, has won only two matches on the tour since losing his final to Djokovic at the Australian Open in late January.

"I'm super happy to play on a natural surface again. We've been grinding on the hard courts for so long that it's refreshing to be back on clay. It's on this surface that we play the most beautiful tennis," added Tsitsipas, who could only face Djokovic in the final.

Daniil Medvedev (4th) will also try his luck. The Russian is again very verve since his elimination in the third round in Australia: he chained the titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai, then he reached the final in Indian Wells and won in Miami.

But the former world No. 1 loves to hate clay: he has only played in the main draw three times in Monte Carlo where he lost in the first round in 2017, in the second in 2018 and in the semifinals in 2019 for his last appearance, having still beaten Tsitsipas in the eighth and Djokovic in the quarters.

And the Italian Jannik Sinner (9th) will try to win his first very big tournament. He remains on a semi in Indian Wells and a final in Miami.

Sinner and Medvedev are in Djokovic's half of the draw and could face him in the quarters and semis respectively.

© 2023 AFP