Monte-Carlo Masters 2018: Raonic, Shapovalov set for action Monday

Rudi Schuller

Monte-Carlo Masters 2018: Raonic, Shapovalov set for action Monday image

More than two weeks after they last took to the court, Canada's top two men's tennis players will return to action.

Milos Raonic and Denis Shapovalov will both be on the clay Monday as the ATP World Tour shifts to Monte Carlo. The round of 64 sees World No. 22 Raonic take on wild card Lucas Catarina, while teenager Shapovalov faces qualifier Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Both Raonic and Shapovalov were last in action at the Miami Open in late March. Raonic advanced to the quarterfinal of that tournament before falling to Juan Martín del Potro, while Shapovalov exited at the round of 16 stage in a three-set loss to Borna Ćorić.

The Canadian men have both seen their rankings rise since the beginning of the year, with former World No. 3 Raonic looking to regain his place among the sport's elite after an injury-ravaged 2017. Shapovalov, who celebrated his 19th birthday on Sunday, has jumped 135 places over the past 12 months to his current standing at 45th in the world.

Auger-Aliassime falls in first round

Canada's other men's teenage prodigy, 17-year-old Felix Auger-Aliassime, lost in three sets to Germany's Mischa Zvervev on Sunday.

The Montreal native, a wild-card entrant in Monte Carlo, dropped the first set 2-6 before winning the following set on a tie break 7-6(7).

Unfortunately for Auger-Aliassime, Zverev was dominant in the deciding set, winning 6-1 and ending the young Canadian's tournament at the first hurdle.

Rudi Schuller