TennisSection previews the 2022 Adelaide 2 Open as Gael Monfils takes on Thiago Monteiro in the second round on Wednesday, January 12th, 2022.
Will Gael Monfils go back-to-back in Adelaide and win his second title of the 2022 season? Or will Thiago Monteiro take advantage of any sort of complacency by the Frenchman? An upset could be on the table in this one, but Monfils should be focused to clinch the Adelaide 2 Open as the top seed.
What a difference a year makes. Gael Monfils broke down in tears during the Australian summer swing this time last year. The Frenchman had reached breaking point following his first-round exit at the Australian Open last season. But fast forward 2022 and Monfils had clean slate at last week’s Adelaide Open. The 35-year-old was dominant and decisive as he clinched the 11th title of his career without dropping a set all week. Victory over Karen Khachanov in the final guaranteed a return to the world’s Top 20 and earned him his first silver since 2020. Monfils will also be the top seed at this week’s Adelaide 2 Open and he is undoubtedly the tournament favorite.
Thiago Monteiro justified his lucky loser spot at the Adelaide 2 Open after defeating World No. 99 Yoshihito Nishioka in three sets in the first round. Monteiro was set to swap Adelaide for Melbourne following his qualifying loss at the hands of Steve Johnson. But he was thrown a lifeline into the main draw after a spate of withdrawals. And Monteiro did not waste the opportunity as he recovered from dropping the first set 6-1 to win in three. The 27-year-old hammered 10 aces and broke Nishioka’s serve once in the second and third sets to book his spot in the Round of 16 against Gael Monfils.
Gael Monfils and Thiago Monteiro’s head-to-head is tied at 1-1. Both matches were contested on clay courts. Monfils won their first meeting at Roland Garros in straight sets in 2017. But Monteiro avenged that loss in a stunning upset in Quito a year later. But the head-to-head is redundant in the context of this match. Monfils is the superior player and tends to be very difficult to stop when he gets a run going. Assuming the Frenchman avoids any sort of complacency, he should win this match comfortably.
Free Tennis Pick and Prediction: Gael Monfils in straight sets.
Want more Free Tennis Picks from our Experts? Check out our latest Tennis Predictions now!
Join TopCourt now to learn from some of the best tennis players in the world! Find our exclusive 14-day FREE-trial here!
All betting odds/banners presented on the site are advertisements. Opinions of our experts are solely opinions. Please gamble responsibly and BeGambleAware.org.
