Rafael Nadal makes surprise appearance at Monte-Carlo Masters, Iga Swiatek withdraws from Stuttgart? | 4 bold predictions for tennis this week

The Monte-Carlo Masters is the only tournament happening this week on the tennis tour. Rafael Nadal is making the most of his retirement but given his history at the tournament, he could surprise everyone with a brief appearance there.

Iga Swiatek is still on the hunt for her first title since her triumph at the French Open a year ago. Given the season that she has had thus far, she could possibly postpone the start of her clay swing.

Novak Djokovic's time at the Monte-Carlo Masters may not go the way he envisions, while Stefanos Tsitsipas could be the last man standing there yet again. On that note, here are some bold predictions on what could possibly unfold in the world of tennis this week:

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#1. Rafael Nadal potentially turns up at the Monte-Carlo Masters to watch his former peers in action

Rafael Nadal at the Monte-Carlo Masters 2018. (Photo: Getty)

Rafael Nadal is the most successful player in the history of the Monte-Carlo Masters. He won his maiden title at the venue in 2005 and it was also his very first Masters 1000 title. The Spaniard's reign lasted until 2013, when he lost to Novak Djokovic in the final, his very first loss at the venue.

Nadal eventually won three more titles and hoisted the winner's trophy for the last time in 2018. His haul of 11 titles at the venue is impressive but still pales in comparison to his 14 titles at the French Open. While the King of Clay is currently enjoying his retirement, players often make it a point to attend some of their favorite tournaments long after they've quit the game.

As such, it is quite possible that Nadal could make an appearance at this year's Monte-Carlo Masters. Many of his former peers will be in action and watching them without worrying about the results would be a different albeit fun experience for him.

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#2. Iga Swiatek to potentially miss the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart

Iga Swiatek at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix 2023. (Photo: Getty)

Iga Swiatek has commenced her clay swing at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart since 2022. She won the tournament in 2022 and 2023 and tasted defeat for the first time last year, losing to Elena Rybakina in the semifinals. She arrived in Stuttgart having won at least a couple of titles for the past three years.

However, it's a different story this time. Swiatek has a healthy 21-6 record this year and hasn't lost prior to the quarterfinals of any tournament. However, she hasn't reached a final since her triumph at last year's French Open.

While Swiatek has had considerable success in Stuttgart, she could potentially opt to give it a miss this time. The conditions aren't even remotely similar to the French Open and another loss could further complicate things for her. She has already withdrawn from this week's Billie Jean King Cup qualifiers, and skipping another tournament to tweak her game could be an option that she could possibly consider.

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#3. Novak Djokovic to potentially make an early exit from the Monte-Carlo Masters

Novak Djokovic at the Monte-Carlo Masters 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Novak Djokovic recently finished as the runner-up at the Miami Open. Having arrived at the tournament on a three-match losing streak, he performed at a very high level until he was beaten by Jakub Mensik in the final. While he will be expecting a similar result or better at the Monte-Carlo Masters, that may not happen for a couple of reasons.

For starters, Djokovic is currently dealing with an eye infection. He has been dealing with the same since the closing stages of the Miami Open. Additionally, he hasn't reached the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters since he won his second title here in 2015. He has made it past the third round here only once this decade, when he made the semifinals a year ago. These two factors could potentially lead to his early exit from the tournament this time.

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#4. Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alexander Zverev to possibly win the Monte-Carlo Masters

Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Monte-Carlo Masters 2024. (Photo: Getty)

Most of the top players will be competing at the Monte-Carlo Masters 2025. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is the only top player missing in action as he's still serving his three-month ban. Stefanos Tsitsipas is the defending champion and is one of the favorites to win the title.

Tsitsipas won his third title at the venue a year ago. He's the most successful player at the Monte-Carlo Masters this decade, with an 18-1 record. His three titles put him in a tie with Thomas Muster, Bjorn Borg and Ille Nastase as the second-most successful players in the history of the tournament behind Nadal.

If not Tsitsipas, then Alexander Zverev is another viable contender. While the German has underperformed since losing to Sinner in the Australian Open final at the start of the season, he's not the one to stay down for too long. He has already won the other two Masters 1000 tournaments on clay, the Madrid Open and the Italian Open. Given his talents, it's not far-fetched to see him going all the way in Monte Carlo as well.