Gael Monfils vs Alexei Popyrin Prediction & Picks - ATP Cincinnati Open

Prediction published on 8/13/24, 2:37 AM  by Lou Aguila | Modified on 8/13/24 at 2:42 AM in ATP Cincinnati Open Picks

Fresh off his first Masters 1000 victory in Montreal, Alexei Popyrin begins his quest for a second title of the same level of importance and prestige on Wednesday when he takes on Gael Monfils of France in the first round of the 2024 Cincinnati Open. Popyrin captured the Canadian Open, also known as the Montreal Masters, after delivering an exquisite performance against No.3 seed Andrey Rublev of Russia 6-2, 6-4. Popyrin dictated the flow of the match with his booming serves, firing 10 aces and generating 38 points off his first serves. He also broke Rublev four times in the match behind 31 return points. Meanwhile, Monfils hopes for a better performance in Cincinnati after losing in the first round to Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia, 6-3, 6-3. The 37-year-old ATP veteran still enjoys playing on the ATP Tour despite his advanced age and lack of recent success. Monfils, as one of the few holdovers from the golden era of men's tennis, seemed to appreciate the opportunity to compete against the next generation of tennis players.