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Jack Draper was one of several big names in action on Day 5 of the 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters. The recently crowned Indian Wells champion, however, did not have a good outing as his campaign came to an end in the Round of 16.
Just like Draper, there were a few other big names who were also shown the door. In total, eight singles fourth-round matches were played out on the day, and higher-ranked seeds lost four of them.
So before we shift our focus to the quarterfinalists, let’s take one final look at the three shocking results and how they unfolded on Day 5 of the 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters:
#3 Andrey Rublev
Andrey Rublev has come into his own on clay in the last couple of years, lifting Masters 1000 trophies in Madrid and Monte Carlo in consecutive seasons (2023 and 2024). This year, however, he will not be looking back at Monte Carlo with too many fond memories, given his earlier-than-expected exit. The seventh seed at this year’s tournament, he crashed out after being handed a straight-sets defeat by Arthur Fils.
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Although Fils has been in great form, it was the nature of the loss that took many by surprise. Rublev mustered only five games in the 6-2, 6-3 drubbing, losing the match in only 62 minutes.
The Frenchman was steady on his serve, winning 81% of the first serve points compared to his opponent’s 59. He was simply holding serve with much more ease, which put all the pressure on Rublev, who buckled in both sets.
#2 Jack Draper
Jack Draper was another big name to be shown the door in the fourth round, with him losing to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in a three-set marathon tussle.
The match was among the more dramatic ones from the day, with momentum swinging from one way to the other. Starting the match slow, Draper found himself down a set against a strong opponent. He, however, did well to level the match after taking the second set in a keenly contested tiebreaker.
The final set, like most of the match, had Draper and Fokina go back-and-forth, with the former even coming back from the break down early. But like he did for most of the encounter, the Spaniard was able to play the big points better.
Draper ended the match with 45 unforced errors, and against an opponent who is quick to capitalise, the 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 result could be seen coming.
#1 Casper Ruud
The biggest upset of the day, however, has to go to Alexei Popyrin, who took out one of the standout claycourt performers in recent years, Casper Ruud, in a three-set battle of his own.
Popyrin is no stranger to making waves on the big stage. He did something similar by beating Novak Djokovic at the US Open last year, and that was only one of six top-10 wins he had over the course of the season.
Coming into Monte Carlo, however, he had barely won a match this season and was massively struggling with his form. Additionally, the prospect of playing an intimidating claycourter in Ruud, whose topspin-heavy forehand can wreak havoc in the conditions, was not ideal on paper.
None of that mattered on the day as Popyrin showcased his characteristic scrambling abilities to fluster Ruud. While both players were guilty of wasting several break chances (Ruud was 2/14 and Popyrin 3/15), it was the Aussie who won the all-important break just in time to avoid a final-set tiebreaker to complete a memorable 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 win.
