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Match Details
Fixture: (1) Novak Djokovic vs Ivan Gakhov
Tournament: Monte-Carlo 2023
Date: Tuesday, April 11
Round: Second Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Monte Carlo Country Club, France
Category: Masters 1000
Surface: Outdoor clay
Prize money: €5,779,335
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel, TC Plus/UK - Amazon Prime Video
Novak Djokovic vs Ivan Gokhov preview
Top seed Novak Djokovic gets his Monte-Carlo campaign up and running against qualifier Ivan Gakhov on Tuesday.
The World No. 1 has had an imperious season despite being plagued by injuries at the start of the year. Djokovic has lost just once in 16 matches, with that loss coming against eventual winner Daniil Medvedev in the Dubai semifinals.
Before that, the Serb racked up titles at the Adelaide International 1 and a record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, triumphing for a record-extending 10th time Down Under.
Having missed the Sunshine Double owing to his COVID-19 vaccination status, the 35-year-old returns to the claycourts of Monte-Carlo, where he has a 35-13 record. However, the Serb - who won the last of his two titles in the Principality eight years ago - suffered a surprise second-round loss last year (to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina).
Meanwhile, the 198th-ranked Gakhov opened his ATP Tour account by beating American Mackenzie McDonald in three sets on Monday. However, the 26-year-old Russian faces a baptism by fire against Djokovic, widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of the sport.
Novak Djokovic vs Ivan Gakhov head-to-head
The two players haven't met before, so their head-to-head record stands at 0-0.
Novak Djokovic vs Ivan Gakhov odds
(All odds as per BETMGM)
Novak Djokovic vs Ivan Gakhov prediction
The contrast between the two players - especially in terms of pedigree and experience - could not have been more stark, making this matchup a mismatch on paper.
Djokovic is one of the sport's best counterpunchers and has a mighty effective all-court game. However, not much is known about the left-handed Gakhov, who largely plays on the Challenger Tour, where he won at Girona (on clay) last month.
Like Fokina last year, Gakhov will hope to surprise Djokovic in his first European claycourt match of the season. However, that's unlikely to happen this time, as the Serb has had matches under his belt, unlike in 2022. Moreover, considering the wide gulf in experience between the two players, a win for the left-hander appears quite unlikely.
Pick: Djokovic in straight sets
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