Rolex Paris Masters: tough game for Djokovic, Monfils not varnished by the draw

World number 1 Novak Djokovic could meet Andrey Rublev, 5th in the world, from the quarter-finals of the Masters 1000 in Paris, which begins Monday and whose table was unveiled on Saturday.

Exempted from the first round, like the other seven top seeds, the Serbian has not appeared on the circuit since his loss in the US Open final in New York in mid-September, where he failed in his quest for Grand. Slam over the calendar year.

He will face in the second round the winner of the match between the Hungarian Márton Fucsovics (39th) and the Italian Fabio Fognini (36th).

Djokovic, winner of three of the four Grand Slam tournaments of the year, could therefore compete with Russian Rublev, against whom he has never played in an official tournament, in the quarter-finals.

Half a Djokovic-Tsitsipas?

If he defeats Rublev, Djokovic will have a lot to do in the semifinals, since the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (no.3) as well as the young Canadian of 21 years Félix Auger-Aliassime, appear in his part of the table.

There is also the Scottish Andy Murray, who has fallen to 156th place in the world after several years marked by injuries, and who has an invitation to participate in the Paris tournament.

The 34-year-old Briton, who remains on encouraging performances at the tournaments in Vienna and Indian Wells, will face a player from qualifying for his entry into the running.

The #RolexParisMasters draw is out!

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- ROLEX PARIS MASTERS (@RolexPMasters) October 30, 2021

In the other part of the table, all eyes will be on Daniil Medvedev, world number 2 and winner of the US Open in September.

The Russian should enjoy an easy start to the tournament, before eventually returning to the phenomenon of the moment, the 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, in the quarter-finals.

Quarter-finalist at Flushing Meadows, the student of Juan-Carlos Ferrero never ceases to amaze, proof of this is his forceps victory over the Italian Matteo Berrettini on Friday in Vienna.

For Monfils, things will quickly get tough

The road will be tough for Alcaraz, facing the French Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the first round before finding another hope of world tennis, the Italian Jannik Sinner (11th world).

The world number 4, Alexander Zverev, also exempt from the first round, will start his tournament against the winner of the meeting between Dusan Lajovic and Mackenzie McDonald.

After Ugo Humbert's package announced on Saturday, the French chances at home will focus on Gaël Monfils, 21st in the world, who will have to get rid of a player from the qualifications for his entry into the running, then his compatriot Adrian Mannarino or the Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili, before challenging Djokovic in the third round.

Difficult prospect.