Alcaraz leads the star-studded lineup at Monte Carlo, with only one top-ten player missing; why is the American contingent "absent"?

With the Miami Open underway in full swing, the initial climax of the clay season is ready to burst forth—the ATP 1000 Monte Carlo Masters is set to make a grand entrance from April 5 to 12. Being the sole optional tournament among the nine Masters, Monte Carlo has once again assembled a powerful roster this year, led by world No. 1 and reigning champion Alcaraz.

Defending champion Alcaraz (Photo: Visual China)

World No. 2 Sinner, world No. 3 Djokovic, world No. 4 Zverev, and last year's runner-up Musetti are all present. Sinner, who missed last year due to suspension, now has a valuable opportunity to gain points. Looking at the entry list, only Shelton from the top ten is absent. Among the world's top 50, seven players have not registered, including current world No. 28 Danish star Rune, who is still recovering from an Achilles injury, making his absence understandable.

Official tournament poster

It is noteworthy that the other six TOP50 players skipping the Monte Carlo Masters are all from the United States. Apart from world No. 9 Shelton, the other five are Lehecka (No.21), Paul (No.23), Brandon Nakashima (No.30), Michelsen (No.40), and Brooksby (No.42). Currently, only Fritz, Tiafoe, and Korda are on the American player list for the tournament. Fritz mentioned in an interview in Miami that due to ongoing knee issues, he is considering withdrawing from the clay season this year, so his appearance in Monte Carlo remains uncertain.

Why are so many American players absent? These six are expected to participate in the ATP 250 Houston clay event, held between Miami and Monte Carlo. This is the only ATP clay tour event in the United States and traditionally attracts a strong local lineup. If players rush to Europe immediately after Houston, the schedule would be overly tight, making skipping Monte Carlo a reasonable choice.

Zhang Zhizhen reference photo (Photo: Visual China)

Zhang Zhizhen is the only Chinese player registered, but after entering with a protected ranking, he is only tenth on the alternate list, making his chances of qualifying for the main draw relatively slim. Zhang previously appeared at the Monte Carlo Masters in 2024, where he defeated Giron in the first round to advance to the second round.

The tournament has already announced two wild card recipients—40-year-old Swiss star Wawrinka and former Wimbledon finalist Berrettini. Wawrinka is the 2014 champion, his sole Masters title in his career, having defeated compatriot Federer in the final. Berrettini upset Zverev in the second round of Monte Carlo last year, marking his first victory over a TOP2 player.

Monte Carlo Masters entry list

（Text, editing/ Wang Fei）