Still, I can't really argue with the results through to the start of the clay court season as the build up to the French Open continues. Tournaments have already been played at the opening of the month, but the big names are getting their preparation going when the ATP Tour makes a stop in Monte Carlo for the first Masters on the clay courts ahead of further big stops in Madrid and Rome.
The run up to the French Open will see plenty of tennis being played with both Tours giving players the time to really adjust back onto the clay courts.
It is also a time of the year where some of the players that have enjoyed a lot of success through the first three months of the season may have not have the same level of enjoyment and quality of results on the red dirt. On the other side there are going to be some huge opportunities for the clay court specialists that thrive at this time of the season and I do think it is something to keep in mind when making selections, rather than solely focusing on the season numbers.
I am going to update the season totals in either the Tuesday, or most likely Wednesday, thread at the Mont Carlo Masters.
The opening Tennis Picks from the Monte Carlo Masters and the clay court season overall can be read below.
Cameron Norrie - 2.5 games v Francisco Cerundolo: You might not always consider a player out of Great Britain as being a 'clay court specialist', but Cameron Norrie has played some of his best tennis on the surface.
The Monte Carlo Masters can be a tournament filled with surprises, especially early in the event, and it is the only Masters event on the Tour that is not a mandatory one when it comes to the World Rankings. That has sometimes meant it is one that skipped by the top names or one where players do not hang around for too long, but Cameron Norrie may feel he is ready to have a deep run following an early exit in his last appearance in the beautiful surroundings.
Cameron Norrie did not stay in Europe and the Middle East between the Australian Open and the hard court Masters events in North America, but instead chose to join the Golden Swing in South America. It is a decision that has proven to be a good one for a player that put together a 10-1 record, which included picking up a big title in Rio.
In general he did not face too many top players, but splitting two matches with Carlos Alcaraz will have Cameron Norrie feeling confident ahead of the European clay court season.
It was a less successful time for Francisco Cerundolo who has a 4-4 record on the clay courts in 2023, but this is a player that has grown up on the red dirt. He will feel his return game is superior than Cameron Norrie's, but Francisco Cerundolo is going to have to pick up his serving numbers when entering these Masters tournaments.
The record is disappointing when you think of the kind of level of opponents Francisco Cerundolo was drawn to face in the tournaments played on the Golden Swing. Wins in events held during the summer in 2022 helped the confidence of the Argentinian, but this is a tough opening draw in Monte Carlo and I do think Cameron Norrie can frank the form that saw him edge past Francisco Cerundolo in Lyon last year.
A loss to Daniel Evans at the French Open was a disappointing one for Francisco Cerundolo and I think he is beaten by a British player here.
Sebastian Baez - 2.5 games v Jack Draper: I am backing one British player on Monday, but I am opposing another when Jack Draper faces Sebastian Baez in the First Round in Monte Carlo.
This is another match between a Brit and an Argentine player, but this time I am looking for Sebastian Baez to show off his clay court prowess.
I do like Jack Draper and his potential, but he is coming in off an injury and his lack of experience on the red dirt is a problem. Last year we saw Draper play a couple of quality matches at the Madrid Masters, but that is a tournament played in conditions that tend to be some of the faster clay courts in the lead up to the French Open and would have suited the big hitting game that Jack Draper wants to play.
Unfortunately that is not likely to be the case in Monte Carlo and Sebastian Baez did reach the Quarter Final in Estoril last week.
He was well beaten by Casper Ruud as the defending Champion in Estoril, but Sebastian Baez has had plenty of wins on the red dirt and I think he is one of those players that will thrive playing on this surface over the next couple of months.
Sebastian Baez has found a certain level too much to handle on this surface, but he is 22-5 in clay court matches played against opponents Ranked outside the top 50 over the last year. The know how on the clay courts have allowed Baez to serve well and really build the pressure on the return and I think he can put that together in winning his opening match at this Masters tournament.
MY PICKS: Cameron Norrie - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Sebastian Baez - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
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