The 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters continues on Monday, April 7 with its opening round matches to be played Alejandro Tabilo, Daniil Medvedev and Jiri Lehecka take to court. Get the best predictions and tips for the day from ATP Houston Open 2025.
Stan Wawrinka v Alejandro Tabilo
World number 32 Alejandro Tabilo takes on the 161st-ranked Stan Wawrinka in a first round match and in a first-time meeting between the two.
And while there’s that huge gap in their rankings, things could be a lot closer on the court with Tabilo showing no signs of emerging from the ashes of his poor form. In the nine tournaments that Tabilo has played in 2025, he has won just two matches and won no match from the three clay-court competitions he participated in.
Wawrinka himself has been in no great form either but despite his fall from being a Grand Slam winner and a former world number three, he can hold his own on court. This was on display at Houston last week where he overcame Timfoey Skatov to make the second round and then took Pedro Martinez to a third set.
Even before that, Wawrinka had featured in a Challenger competition in Neapol and made the quarterfinals. His game might not be at its best but up against him is an opponent whose confidence is definitely at one of lowest points.
Wawrinka v Tabilo Tip: Wawrinka to win: 11/10
Daniil Medvedev v Karen Khachanov
While the seven matches between these two players have resulted in five wins for Daniil Medvedev, their only meeting on clay came at the 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters and Khachanov won it straight sets.
That’s the one big reason why the 11th-ranked Medvedev might still start a favourite against the world number 25 Khanchanov, it’s as short as long as 4/5.
The other reason behind this closeness in match winning odds is Medvedev’s form this year. For a player who was an Australian Open finalist and the Wimbledon semifinalist as recently as last year, he has a mere 12-7 win-loss record for the season.
This includes a semifinal appearance at the Indian Wells Masters but early exits at Australian Open, Rotterdam Open and more recently even in Miami.
Khachanov has done far worse though with just five wins from 12 matches and that is why this could turn into a keen tussle that goes into the third set.
Medvedev v Khachanov Tip: Three sets in the match: 6/5
Jiri Lehecka v Sebastian Korda
This could be one of the more interesting matches of the day with the 24th-ranked Sebastian Korda taking on the rising star and world number 28 Jiri Lehecka.
Their only previous meeting had come at the 2024 Adelaide International last year and Lehecka had won that easily. This was on a hardcourt surface though.
The difference in the form of the two players this season couldn’t be more stark. Lehecka might be coming off a four-match losing streak but overall, he is 13-6 on win-loss for the season. Korda’s won just six of his 11 matches.
Compare their record on clay and Lehecka seems to have done as well too, with a semifinal appearance at the Madrid Masters last year as compared to Korda’s third round appearance at the French Open 2024 and opening round wins at Monte Carlo, Madrid and Rome last year.
We could see a bit of a tussle here with Lehecka holding the advantage.
Lehecka v Korda Tip: Korda to win: 4/6
Other Houston Open 2025 Predictions for the Day
- Lorenzo Musetti v Yuchaokete Bu: Musetti to win: 1/4
- Francisco Cerundolo v Fabio Fognini: Cerundolo to win in straight sets: 1/3
- Gael Monfils v Fabian Marozsan: Monfils to win: 13/11
- Matteo Berrettini v Mariano Navone: Berrettini to win: 8/15
- Ben Shelton v Alejandro Davidovich Fokina: Three sets in the match: 6/5
- Marcos Giron v Denis Shapovalov: Shapovalov to win: 5/11
- Felix Auger-Aliassime v Daniel Altmaier: Auger-Aliassime to win: 2/5
- Alexandre Muller v Camilo Ugo Carabelli: Muller to win: 11/13
