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Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Odds & Prediction – Monte-Carlo Masters Quarterfinals

Stephanie Myles

by Stephanie Myles in Tennis

Updated Apr 15, 2021 · 11:37 AM PDT

Tsitsipas vs Fokina
FILE - In this Sunday, May 12, 2019, file photo, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas plays a shot against Serbia's Novak Djokovic during the final of the Madrid Open tennis tournament in Madrid, Spain. With the sports calendar still mostly on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press takes a look at some of the live sporting events that would have taken place the week of May 4-10, 2020, including the clay-court Madrid Open. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)
  • No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas is in the Monte-Carlo quarterfinals for the first time in his career
  • He will face unseeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain, who is having a career-best week
  • We break down the chances of an upset, with Tsitsipas a big favorite to win

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina will wake up next Monday ranked in the top 50 on the ATP Tour for the first time in his career.

And so far at the Monte-Carlo Masters, he has taken advantage of some players shaking off injury rust to reach his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal.

But on Friday (11 am Monte-Carlo time, 5 am EDT), his road seems likely to end against No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who was at +1700 to win it before the tournament began but is looking a lot better now.

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Odds

Player Spread Moneyline Total at DraftKings
[4] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) -4.5 (-137) -480 O 20.5 (-120)
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) +4.5 (+110) +350 U 20.5 (-106)

Odds as of April 15

Tsitsipas Perfect to the Quarterfinals in 2021

This is the first time the 22-year-old Greek star has reached the quarterfinals in Monte-Carlo.

But it’s right on brand for him in 2021.

Tsitsipas has been very consistent overall this season, even if he has yet to win a title.

In six tournaments, Tsitsipas has reached at least the final eight every time.

Tsitsipas was a finalist in Acapulco and a semifinalist at both the Australian Open and Rotterdam.

After COVID Early in ’21, Davidovich Fokina Catching Fire

Davidovich Fokina contracted the coronavirus and was unable to make the trip to Australia.

He had to begin the season at a pair of Challenger tournaments in Biella, Italy.

It took him a while to get going. Other than Montpellier, where he upset future Miami Open champion Hubert Hurkacz and reached the quarterfinals, Davidovich Fokina hadn’t won back-to-back matches until this week in Monte Carlo.

He upset Alex de Minaur in the first round in a match interrupted by rain and held over to the next day.

YouTube video

Next up was No. 8 seed Matteo Berrettini. The Italian hadn’t played singles since giving Tsitsipas a walkover in the round of 16 at the Australian Open.

And Davidovich Fokina won 7-5, 6-3.

On Thursday, the Spaniard defeated wild card Lucas Pouille, who has missed much of the last year and a half with elbow issues (including surgery). Pouille skipped Australia and hadn’t won back-to-back matches until this week.

So Davidovich Fokina is into his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal without dropping a set.

Stefanos Tsitsipas vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Head-to-Head

Stefanos Tsitsipas
VS
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
22 (Aug. 12, 1998) Age 21 (June 5, 1999)
Athens, Greece Birthplace Malaga, Spain
6-4 Height 6-0
5 Career ATP Singles Titles 0
No. 5 (Aug. 5, 2019) Career High Ranking No. 51 (March 1, 2021)
No. 5 Current Ranking  No. 58
$13,537,892 Career Prize Money $1,073,337
19-5 2021 Won/Loss record 9-5

Davidovich Fokina a … Dramatic Sort

The 21-year-old is less than a year younger than Tsitsipas.

But obviously his rise has been relatively more gradual.

Part of that has been inconsistency. And part of that inconsistency comes from a pretty fiery on-court temperament.

YouTube video

There was rarely a routine match for Davidovich Fokina, even as a junior. Above is an encounter with Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime nearly five years ago in the US Open juniors. It was typical of him then – and even now.

It has hurt him at times, rendering him unable to stay the course when matters heat up. He has even gotten into it with fans.

All Business for Tsitsipas

Meanwhile, Tsitsipas has been very businesslike this week.

He dispatched Aslan Karatsev – one of the best players of 2021 – in straight sets in his opener. And then he took care of No. 16 seed Cristian Garin of Chile, a tough customer on the clay – by the identical 6-3, 6-4 score on Thursday in the third round.

He has played one less match than Davidovich Fokina because of his first-round bye. And he hasn’t stretched himself physically.

With Rafael Nadal in the other half, and Novak Djokovic gone in his half, Tsitsipas needs to beat the unseeded Davidovich Fokina, and then No. 11 seed David Goffin (4-2 head-to-head) or unseeded Dan Evans (2-0) to reach the Monte Carlo final. His eyes must be pretty big right now.

Meanwhile, at this stage of his career, Davidovich has already had a great tournament.

And he’ll now face an opponent who is several levels up from what he’s handled so far.

Best Bet: Tsitsipas in two sets (-150) 


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