Frances Tiafoe vs Miomir Kecmanovic Prediction 4/8/25 Monte Carlo Tennis Picks

It was a positive week for Tiafoe, who had won six matches in the first three months of the season and none of those back-to-back. But Houston was a step in the right direction, with Tiafoe also keeping his top 20 spot. He improves to 9-7 for the year.

He will be competing in Monte Carlo for the first time after missing each of the last two editions because of scheduling challenges. The fact that he's been given a late start to his first-round match convinced him to make the trip to Monaco and play. Tiafoe can gain valuable points during the week and can potentially re-enter the top 15, but does he have energy left in the tank?

Miomir Kecmanovic Preview

Miomir Kecmanovic had a great first quarter, winning 13 matches and losing nine. He reached the semifinals in Adelaide in January and then lifted his second career title in Delray in February after saving match points in the final against Davidovich Fokina. 

There was a title hangover after that win, with Kecmanovic losing four of his next six matches on hard courts. His underwhelming performances in the Sunshine Swing mean he couldn't go higher than 47th before the start of the European clay swing. Kecmanovic has played in the main draw in Monte Carlo three times in his career and made the second round last year with a big victory over Matteo Berrettini.

Frances Tiafoe vs Miomir Kecmanovic Head-To-Head

• Tiafoe and Kecmanovic have met five times.

• Tiafoe leads Kecmanovic 4-1 in the head-to-head and won their last meeting at the 2024 Hong Kong Open in straight sets.

• This will be their first meeting on clay.

Frances Tiafoe vs Miomir Kecmanovic Prediction

Tiafoe opens as the underdog here at +160. The bookies clearly factor in the possibility of the American battling jetlag and fatigue after his long week in Houston. And even with being afforded a late kick-off for this first-round match, we still think Kecmanovic will have the fresher legs and mental clarity to secure victory.