2021 Monte-Carlo Masters Quarter-Final – Casper Ruud vs Fabio Fognini Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
Where is Casper Ruud vs Fabio Fognini taking place? Monte Carlo Country Club, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
When is Casper Ruud vs Fabio Fognini on and what time does it start? Friday 16th April, 2021 – not before 13:00 (UK)
What surface is Casper Ruud vs Fabio Fognini being played on? Clay (outdoor)
Where can I get tickets for Casper Ruud vs Fabio Fognini? No tickets are available as this tournament will take place without spectators
What channel is Casper Ruud vs Fabio Fognini on? This match will not be televised live in the UK
Where can I stream Casper Ruud vs Fabio Fognini? Amazon Prime subscribers can stream the match live via their platform. Subscribers of Tennis TV can also stream the match live
THE LOWDOWN
CASPER RUUD
- 22-year-old Casper Ruud is fast emerging as not only a contender for this Monte-Carlo Masters title but as a contender for any tournament on this European clay swing after back-to-back defeats of seeds in Diego Schwartzman and Pablo Carreno Busta.
- The world number 27 beat Schwartzman in around an hour on Wednesday but dug in against a spirited fight back from Carreno Busta in the round of 16 to win the deciding tiebreak in impressive fashion.
FABIO FOGNINI
- Reigning Monte-Carlo Masters champion Fabio Fognini made it through to his third quarter-final in this tournament with another confident straight-sets win over Filip Krajinovic.
- The 34-year-old has nine ATP titles to his name, eight of those coming on the clay, and if he can make it through here he could face Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals for a second time in Monte-Carlo having claimed his only win over the Spaniard on his way to the title in 2019.
In terms of stand-out performers at this week’s Monte-Carlo Masters Casper Ruud is right up there with king of clay Rafael Nadal and Dan Evans after the Brit took out Novak Djokovic on Thursday. Ruud has been electrifying on his favoured surface and his dismissal of Schwartzman was well backed-up with a gritty victory over recent Andalucia Open champion Carreno Busta on Thursday. He faces the reigning champion Fabio Fognini here and looks like extending his 100% record over the Italian having beaten him twice last year in straight sets at the ATP Cup and Hamburg Open, the latter on clay. 34-year-old Fognini has powered through his three matches so far in impressive circumstances but Ruud at in this form would require an extra gear from the world number 17. Depending on how well Fognini copes with what Ruud will throw at him means this could fall in any number of sets, but take the Norwegian to beat Fognini for a third time.
