Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the ATP Monte Carlo match.
Casper Ruud began his Monte Carlo campaign with a commanding victory over Roberto Bautista Agut and now continues his push to replicate last year’s performance, which saw him reach the final. For Alexei Popyrin, progressing to the third round already marks a noteworthy milestone. However, the Australian now faces an opponent who recently defeated him convincingly—even if it was in an exhibition match under UTS rules.
Alexei Popyrin
Alexei Popyrin has endured two long matches so far, dropping the opening set in both: first against Ugo Humbert (3:6, 7:6, 6:4), and then against Frances Tiafoe (3:6, 6:3, 6:3). It’s worth noting that both opponents were not at full fitness—Ugo Humbert was playing with a fractured finger, while Frances Tiafoe was fatigued after competing in Houston. Over extended matches, Popyrin has shown competence on clay, yet he has consistently struggled against higher-ranked opponents such as Alexander Zverev and Alex De Minaur, both of whom defeated him in straight sets last season. Since September 2024, Popyrin has entered 11 tournaments without making it past the second round in any of them.
Casper Ruud
Casper Ruud thrives on clay, particularly in Monte Carlo, where he has won five of his last six matches. Last year at this event, he overcame Novak Djokovic and Hubert Hurkacz, only losing in the final to Stefanos Tsitsipas. This year, he eased past Roberto Bautista Agut 6:2, 6:1 in just 69 minutes. Casper Ruud is highly efficient during rallies, avoids letting matches extend unnecessarily, and often finishes in straight sets. In 14 of his last 21 clay-court victories, the total number of games did not exceed 21.
Casper Ruud vs Alexei Popyrin Prediction
Alexei Popyrin tends to make slow starts, and against a top-level clay-court player, he is unlikely to find enough time to settle into the match. Casper Ruud already defeated him on clay just six days ago in an exhibition. The Norwegian is in excellent form, having reached a major final in Dallas earlier this season. Popyrin, by contrast, has yet to deliver a comparable performance. The prediction is for a straight-sets win for Casper Ruud.
