DEMON AND POP DREAMING BIG IN MONTE CARLO

An all Aussie final in Monte Carlo come Sunday! I know I am getting way ahead of myself, but being here on the ground, I can't help but like what I am seeing courtside from our two leading Aussies.

Thursday at the Monte Carlo Country Club in the best weather we have seen for the week saw Alexei Popyrin and Alex de Minaur scheduled back to back on the 2nd biggest court - Court Des Princes which was full to the brim.

By entering the code TFS2025 you will receive 15% off the RRP on all non-sale items when you shop online at www.racquetworld.com.au

Popyrin was facing fourth seed Casper Ruud on his best surface, but was bringing in some renewed confidence having won back to back matches Tuesday and Wednesday for the first time this year. In both matches he has come from a set down. Could he set the tone early, well his first service game went about 15 minutes, but midway through he got the break and went on to win the first set 6-4 in just over an hour.

Ruud was always going to respond in the first meeting between the pair and jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the 2nd and was never headed on the scoreboard to square the ledger. In the third set shootout, it took to the eighth game as Rudd got a break of serve, served for the match at 5-3, Popyrin saved match points, broke serve not just once but twice to win the last four games and pull off a great win.

Listen in to his thoughts here, speaking to me post match, ahead of his quarter final against Spains Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

For the Demon, it was a clinical performance to totally outplay Daniil Medvedev in straight sets 6-2, 6-2 in just over an hour to make it into the last eight in Monte Carlo for the second straight year running.

Two out of two on clay in the head to head (now 7-4 Medvedev) going the way of the Aussie after his four set win at Roland Garros last year. Agressive, assertive, able to dictate and now a date with the oldest man left in the draw, Grigor Dimitrov. He is also on the schedule in a doubles quarter final with German Jan-Lennard Struff.

With the one week Masters 1000 format still active here, the turnarounds for the players are quick, but with our two Aussies having some nice momentum, not such a bad thing to back up again.

FRIDAY QUARTER FINAL SCHEDULE FROM 11AM (7PM AEST)

• Alejandro Davidovich Fokina vs. Alexei Popyrin

• Arthur Fils (12) vs. Carlos Alcaraz (2)

• Grigor Dimitrov (15) vs. Alex de Minaur (8)

• Lorenzo Musetti (13) vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas (6)

Cremonini Clay specialises in converting en tout cas tennis courts into Cremonini Italian clay tennis courts at a fraction of the cost of a total court rebuild with over 50 years of experience. To find out more, head to www.cremoniniclay.com.au