Gael Monfils, who is preparing to retire at the end of the season, will kick off his Madrid Masters campaign against Camilo Ugo Carabelli. Reilly Opelka will also be in action against Nikolai Budkov Kjaer.
(WC) Gael Monfils vs. Camilo Ugo Carabelli
Popular French veteran Gael Monfils is now ranked 200 in the world. He has announced that the 2026 season will be his final one, which means this is his last Madrid Open. Monfils has managed to win a few matches this year, including a solid win in Monte-Carlo against Tallon Griekspoor. The conditions at altitude in Madrid suit Monfils’ game. The surface is unusually fast for a clay court tournament and may well give the Frenchman a look at the. upset. Camilo Ugo Carabelli from Argentina is ranked 57 in the world; he is a good clay courter, but Madrid doesn’t play like a typical clay court.
Cheryl pick: Monfils in 3
Ricky pick: Monfils in 3
(Q) Nikolai Budkov Kjaer vs. Reilly Opelka
Norway’s Nikolai Budkov Kjaer is a promising new talent. He made a debut at the NextGen Finals in 2025 and made his way to the semifinals, where he lost to Alexander Blockx. He hasn’t had much luck in 2026 so far, however. The Norwegian is 0-4 on the season in main-tour matches — although he has had success on the Challenger circuit. Budkov Kjaer is a player to keep an eye on, but unfortunately his first opponent is Reilly Opelka.
Ordinarily this wouldn’t be intimidating on clay, but Madrid is quick and the air is thin — which gives his serve a little more zing that it normally gets on dirt. Budkov Kjaer will likely need to wait a little longer for his first win of the season.
Cheryl pick: Opelka in 3
Ricky pick: Opelka in 3