It is finally that time of the year when the tennis season has entered its most crucial phase. The clay season is on and the top players across the globe will be battling it out for supremacy after a thrilling hard-court season. The Monte-Carlo Masters will be starting things off on the clay season with a bang. Some of the high-profile names to start their campaign off on the first day will be Taylor Fritz, Sebastian Korda, and Grigor Dimitrov.

With high anticipation surrounding the opening day of the event, there will be high hopes from some of the top dogs of the game. But, who will they be going up against in the first round? Let’s have a deep look at their campaign.

Monte-Carlo Masters to get off to a thrilling start with Taylor Fritz and Grigor Dimitrov in action

Moments ago, the schedule for the first day of the main draw matches at the Monte-Carlo Masters was released. It featured some big matches that will be of interest to the fans. Fritz will look to win his second title this year after the Delray Beach Open when he faces Lorenzo Musetti tomorrow. It will be easier said than done, as the Italian star is strong on clay. Their match will take place during the evening session on Court Ranier III.

The other big names stepping onto the court tomorrow will be Grigor Dimitrov and Sebastian Korda. Interestingly, they will be plying their trade in doubles, where they face Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic in the opening round. Their match is scheduled to take place on Court 2.

The thrilling action on the opening day of the tournament comes as a respite to the fans after many big names have pulled out of the tournament. However, while the tournament will witness some of the American contention, there are many major American stars like Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe who are set to skip the first clay-court Masters tournament of the season.

Decoding the possible reasons behind Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe’s withdrawal from the event

Players like Shelton and Tiafoe have skipped this event to be fresh for the upcoming tournaments. Monte-Carlo Masters is one of the non-mandatory ATP Masters events, giving players the flexibility of choosing their participation. Moreover, they are currently playing in the ATP Houston Open. Having made the finals of the event, they are set for an epic clash and won’t be ready just in time for the event in Monte-Carlo.

Thus, they decided to back off from the event. While the absence of these names will surely lower the charm of the event, fans will have their eyes glued to other players in action, like Fritz and Korda. Who are you rooting for in the tournament? Let us know your views in the comments below.

DIVE DEEPER: Monte-Carlo Masters: Why Are Americans Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe Skipping the Prestigious Event?