Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters Preview
Tiafoe has the advantage in most ways, but Kecmanovic will have one big edge.
The American is ranked 30 spots higher than the Serb (No. 17 to 47) and is 4-1 in their head to head. His only defeat came in a Challenger in 2018. Since then, they’ve played some close sets, including a pair of tiebreakers in Miami a few years ago, but Tiafoe has won all of them. Tiafoe is also in better form at the moment; he’s coming off a runner-up finish on red clay in Houston, while Kecmanovic, after a title run in Delray in February, has been losing early of late.
But about that Houston final: It took place on Sunday, seven time zones away from Monte Carlo. I know tennis players are used to the fog of jet lag, but that’s a tougher turnaround than most. And while Tiafoe will be ready for dirt, Kecmanovic has likely spent much more time on it over the course of his life. Winner: Kecmanovic
