Press conference in Paris

Novak Djokovic (N°1), Andy Murray (N°2), Roger Federer (N°3), Stan Wawrinka (N°4), Rafael Nadal (N°5)…, the entire elite of world tennis together in Monaco

Paris, Wednesday 17 March 2016 – It was during a press lunch in Paris, at the Pavillon Elysées Lenôtre, that Zeljko Franulovic, the Tournament Director, revealed the list of 45 players automatically admitted to the Main Draw and presented the highlights of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters 2016.

Following the first two American ATP World Tour Masters 1000 of the year, the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, organised from 9 to 17 April 2016, by the SMETT (Société Monégasque pour l’Exploitation du Tournoi de Tennis), is the first major clay tournament of the European season. An edition that will be exceptional by nature since this legendary tournament is celebrating its 110th edition.

The official kickoff of the event will take place in an emblematic and centenary-old establishment of the Principality, the Oceanographic Museum, with the draw on Saturday 9 April at 12.00 noon, in the presence of the defending champion, Novak Djokovic (N°1). In 2015, the Serbian won his second victory here in the Principality by beating Tomas Berdych in three sets (7/5, 4/6, 6/3), after an exceptional final that lasted 2 hours 42 between these two Monaco residents.

9 out of 10 of the best world tennis players in Monte-Carlo
For this edition, the draw promises to be exceptional, with the participation of 9 players out of the top ten in the ATP ranking, with, at the top the Serbian Novak Djokovic, No. 1 world player and recent winner of the Australia Open, the Englishman Andy Murray (No. 2), who won the 2015 Davis Cup for Great Britain, the Swiss players Roger Federer (No. 3), the 17 Grand Slam champion and Stan Wawrinka (No. 4), the winner of the 2014 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, who created the surprise in 2015 by winning the French Open, without forgetting Rafael Nadal (No. 5), night-time winner at Roland-Garros and eight-time winner of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

Most of the French players will be present including Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (No. 9), Richard Gasquet (No. 10), Gaël Monfils (No. 16), Gilles Simon (No.19), who, at the beginning of March, qualified France in the Davis Cup quarter finals after winning against Canada in Guadeloupe.
To this main draw is added the 7 players from the qualifiers and the 4 wild-cards, making a total of 56 players.

Let the party begin…
This year’s edition promises to be very festive, off the courts as well, with an opening evening, the “Launch Party”, on Saturday 9 April, at Zelo’s lounge restaurant, in the presence of the players, not forgetting the traditional Players’ evening and the Grande Nuit du Tennis on Friday 15 April…

A tournament that is ever more popular with an increasingly enthusiastic public, with for the last five years reservations being sold-out since February. A success acknowledged by the “ATP Award of Excellence 2015”, attributedto the Monegasque organisers by the highest governing body of world tennis for the “Best Fan Experience” in Europe. A fine mark of recognition for this historic tournament, unique in the world.