The greatest show in tennis will continue for at least one more night in Montreal.
Gael Monfils was able to brush aside Kamil Majchrzak on Monday, extending his stay in Quebec for at least one more match. Monfils, who is retiring at the end of the season, will take on rising American talent Learner Tien in the Round of 32 on Wednesday evening.
Tien is a -310 favorite to win the match at FanDuel Sportsbook.
ATP Montreal: Monfils vs. Tien odds, prediction
While most professional tennis players are all about rhythm and repetition, Monfils is an outlier. He flies by the seat of his pants and finds success by keeping his opponent guessing. When the Frenchman is at his best, nobody knows what’s coming next. Not his opposite number, not the fans, and, sometimes, not even Monfils.
It takes serious discipline not to get wrapped up in Monfils’ show. Some players wind up trying to beat La Monf at his own game, while others try to remain stoic and frustrate him by sticking to the script. The latter is easier said than done, especially since the crowd is almost always on the side of Monfils. It will certainly be on Wednesday night, as the Quebecois fans adore the 39-year-old.
For a young player like Tien, getting ahead in this match isn’t about the tale of the tape or his skillset, but whether or not he can keep his composure in this unique environment.
We know that Tien is a rising star and has an immense ceiling, but he checks into this tilt in pretty suspect form. Perhaps it’s a letdown after he won a title in Geneva in May, or maybe it’s fatigue down the stretch of a long campaign, but the 20-year-old has dipped since the clay season concluded.
Tien has just two wins since the beginning of June, and both came against players ranked outside the top 100.
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Against a vulnerable opponent, I like the value of Monfils finding a foothold on Wednesday night. If he does that, Tien will be in trouble.
The Play: Monfils moneyline (+240, FanDuel)
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
