The clash is between  Djokovic and Rublev.  In the 2021 Monte Carlo Open Djokovic was sent packing after losing in Round 2.  The same happened in 2022 - so like last year he returned to his home city to play.   In 2022 he did the same by going to play in Belgrade.

In the case of Rublev he has decided that he was not ready to play on clay this year and he also decided to go to Belgrade as well.

In the series Djokovic is seeded as  no 1 and Rublev as number 2.   If they do meet it would be in the final.   I will keep members posted on what happened in the tournament    In Round 2  -

*   Djokovic will face either Djere or Medjedovic; and

*   Rublev will face either Laaksonen or a qualifier.      

The draw for the tournament is as follows:-

ROUND 2 

Top Half of the Draw

1       Novak Djokovic                            vs       Laslo Djere

7       Miomir Kecmanovic                     vs       John Millman

3      Karen Khachanov                           vs      Roman Safiullin

 8      Filip  Krajinovic                             vs      Thiago Monteiro

Bottom Half of the Draw

6     Fabio  Fognini                                 vs       Aljaz Bedene

4     Aslan Karatsev                                vs      Oscar Otte

Holger Rune                                           vs     Taro Daniel

2     Andrey Rublev                                vs      Jiri Helecka    

QUARTERFINALS

Top Half of the Draw

1       Novak Djokovic                            vs       7       Miomir Kecmanovic

3      Karen Khachanov                           vs       Thiago Monteiro 

Bottom Half of the Draw

6     Fabio  Fognini                                 vs       Oscar Otte

2     Andrey Rublev                                vs        Taro Daniel  

SEMIFINALS

1       Novak Djokovic         vs        3    Karen Khachanov

2       Andrey Rublev           vs          6       Fabio  Fognini 

The fact is that Rublev in matches over the last year beat Fognini with ease and he is the favorite to beat him tomorrow as well.   So it is very likely that Djokovic and  Rublev will meet in the final.   I suspect Djokovic will be the bookmakers favorite - but my money will be on Rublev.          

FINAL

1       Novak Djokovic         vs        2       Andrey Rublev

 The interesting clash I refer to  materialized.   My money is on Rublev this time around.     

So Rublev beaats Djokovic with ease and it is clear that Djokovic ran out of steam in the third set.  Djokovic is in need of actual game time and lots of it.  He ran out of steam  in the match and lost the third set 6-0.     Rublev played a good game too and deserve the victory,

And I won R570 on a bet I laid  on Rublev winning and that made me quite happy too.