Andy Schooler brings you his best Monday Tennis Tips for this week’s ATP action as the tour heads to Munich and Barcelona. Read on for his exclusive thoughts.
Monday Tennis Tips: Andy Schooler’s Best Bets, April 14th 2025
Monday Tennis Tips: Alex Zverev v Alexandre Muller
It’s been a tough couple of months for Zverev since his defeat in the Australian Open final. Another Grand Slam final loss – in familiar disappointing fashion – appears to have left something of a hangover and he’s gone just 6-6 since leaving Melbourne. Six of those have come on clay with three won but last week brought an opening-round loss to Matteo Berrettini in Monte Carlo. Muller doesn’t have the weapons of Berrettini but he’s been playing well in 2025 and is capable of causing problems in this contest.
He beat a decent clay sort in Camilo Ugo Carabelli in Monte Carlo before pushing Daniil Medvedev to a final set. And back during the South American clay swing, he defeated Joao Fonseca, Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Francisco Cerundolo en route to the Rio final. On hardcourts, he’s already won an ATP title in 2025 (in Hong Kong) so it’s fair to say he’ll be bringing the greater confidence to the court here.
Admittedly, Zverev won their only previous meeting in straight sets at last year’s US Open but Muller kept that close in the first couple of sets (6-4 7-6). Something similar could infold here and I’m certainly not ruling out the upset. However, the best bet for me is to back the Frenchman on the game handicap where he’s getting a 4.5-game start.
Monday Tennis Tips: Yannick Hanfmann v Jakub Mensik
They play a decent altitude in Munich – around 500m above sea level – and so proven altitude performers are worth looking for as a punter. Step forward Yannick Hanfmann, who loves this part of the world. He’s made finals in both Kitzbuhel and Gstaad in the past and was a semi-finalist at the Austrian event last season. OK, this isn’t quite as high but hotter than usual weather in Munich will speed conditions up even further and I suspect it will be a struggle for some of the big-hitters to control the ball.
Recent Miami Open winner Mensik is among those. This will be his first match since winning that Masters 1000 event and also his first claycourt match since last summer’s Olympic Games. The youngster has little experience at this level on clay, while the altitude makes this an even trickier test. In ideal conditions for him, Hanfmann has a strong chance here but the best bet for me is to back him to win the opening set at 2.62. Mensik could well be caught cold in conditions he may find unusual and Hanfmann has the skills to take advantage.
Monday Tennis Tips: Gael Monfils v Denis Shapovalov
I like the way Monfils has been playing in 2025 and feel he’s an underdog worth backing in this match. He started the yar by winning in Auckland and making the last 16 in Melbourne. The French star also played well in Indian Wells and Miami. OK, clay probably isn’t his best surface these days but a win over Fabian Marozsan before defeat to Andrey Rublev was decent enough in Monte Carlo. Overall in 2025, Monfils has held serve in 88% of his service games and the altitude here should help him on that front.
If Monfils would rather be playing this on a hardcourt, the same can also be said of Shapovalov. The Canadian won in slick conditions in Dallas earlier this season but he’s done little since and arrives here having won just two of his last six matches. He’s also 2-1 down to Monfils in their previous meetings, the most recent of which came in Rotterdam last season, a serve-dominated affair won in straight sets by the Frenchman.
Monday Tennis Tips: Munich/Barcelona R1 Best Bets
Alexandre Muller (+4.5) to beat Alex Zverev @ 1.7 with kwiff
Hanfmann to win the 1st set v Mensik @ 2.62 with kwiff
Gael Monfils to beat Denis Shapovalov @ 1.92 with kwiff
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