Tennis Picks

Cincinnati Open: Alex De Minaur vs. Gael Monfils 8/18/21 Tennis Prediction

Alex De Minaur vs Gael Monfils
August 18, 2021 2:40 pm EDT

Alex De Minaur (14) will face Gael Monfils in the Second Round of the 2021 Cincinnati Open. The match is scheduled to be played on Wednesday August 18th, 2021 at approximately 2:40pm EST.

A very close and interesting match is expected as Gael Monfils and Alex De Minaur square off here at the 2021 Cincinnati Open in the Second Round. The Frenchman’s struggles have been well documented but he has been much improved lately, and is seemingly back to his exciting best. On the other hand, the usually consistent Aussie has been in very poor form over the past couple months, and despite his higher ranking seems to be the underdog here. A very evenly poised match is upon us, who will get the win and advance to the Round of 16?

Alex De Minaur is the fourteenth seed here at the 2021 Cincinnati Open and is ranked #18 in the world rankings. He started the year exceptionally well, winning two titles in Antalya and Eastbourne, and seemed to be setting himself up for a big year. However, he has been in poor form lately, struggling to string matches together, in fact losing his last three matches before this event. The Aussie seemed to be down and out in his First Round match against Filip Krajinovic, losing the first set 6-0 before sensationally fighting back. While he is ranked higher than his Second Round opponent Gael Monfils it is hard to call him the favorite given his poor form coinciding with the Frenchman’s return to his best, so this match is really hanging in the balance.

Gael Monfils is a former top 5 player whose recent struggles have seen him fall outside the top 20. He has had a string of poor results dating back two seasons, where he hardly won any matches and seemed to be coming to the end of a fantastic career. However he is re-invented himself over the last few weeks, with some strong results and seems to be enjoying his tennis again. A Quarter-Final showing last week at the Rogers Cup will have lifted his battered confidence and he began strongly here with a solid win over Dusan Lajovic in straight sets. He will have his work cut out for him here against Alex De Minaur but a confident Monfils is a very dangerous prospect for the rest of the tour and he has a very strong chance here.

Very surprisingly this will be the first time that the two men have met throughout their careers, and I expect it to be a long and close battle. This really can go either way, and is a match between two of the fastest and most hardworking players on the Tour. This match will surely be full of some very strong defence from both players, and some spectacular shot making from the Frenchman with his trademark flair. I think that three sets is a near-certainty, and I am backing Gael Monfils to get the win here. His rise has coincided with the Aussie’s slump and I think that in this current form he has the edge. Gael Monfils to win an extremely close match to reach the Round of 16 here at the 2021 Cincinnati Open.

Andy T's Free Pick: Gael Monfils to win

Need More? Get Premium Picks

Andy T

Andy is a former player and huge tennis fan. He has a wealth of experience on the tennis circuit and uses it to make the best picks available.

Related Articles

Back to top button