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ATP Chengdu Day 2 Predictions Including Gael Monfils vs Alexander Shevchenko

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Nurein Ahmed | Last updated Sep 17, 2025 1:44 AM ET

First-round action at the ATP Chengdu Open continues with eight more matches on Thursday. Gael Monfils will be chasing his first win since Wimbledon after a run of four straight defeats. Who will advance?

ATP Chengdu Day 2 Predictions

Terence Atmane vs Dino Prizmic

Head-to-head: first meeting

Terence enters this tournament with a wave of expectations after his incredible semifinal run at the Cincinnati Open. It was a huge disappointment that he couldn’t play the US Open because of an untimely foot injury. And talking of injuries, Dino Prizmic has missed some important weeks during the course of the season, and that delayed a potential Top 100 breakthrough. There is so much that Prizmic can achieve for a player of his potential. But Atmane has taken his game to new heights and should dominate with his explosive lefty game.

Prediction: Atmane in 2

Filip Misolic vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

Head-to-head: Misolic 1-0 Mpetshi Perricard

With a title defense coming up next month, Mpetshi Perricard needs to string some wins together in the Asian swing to keep his Top 40 ranking. He surprisingly struggled last year (won one match in three tournaments in China). Misolic beat Mpetshi Perricard in their only meeting at a Challenger event two years ago. But that was on clay. The sheer pace and precision of the Frenchman’s serve on a hard court will be tough to neutralize consistently on a hard court.

Prediction: Mpetshi Perricard in 2

Lorenzo Sonego vs Juan Manuel Cerundolo

Head-to-head: first meeting

Juan Manuel Cerundolo is quietly having a great season with a 19-10 record at the Challenger level and won his first-ever hard-court title in Guangzhou last weekend. He’s up to a career-high ranking of World No. 72. For so long, Cerundolo struggled outside his comfort zone, but his newfound aggression and court positioning were integral to his title win in China. Sonego’s inconsistency this season has been noticeable. His Australian Open and Wimbledon results account for nearly half of his 17 wins. Cerundolo is growing in confidence, and the surface narrative could shift if he maintains his high level.

Prediction: Cerundolo in 3

Gael Monfils vs Alexander Shevchenko

Head-to-head: Shevchenko 1-0 Monfils

Monfils recently indicated that retirement is very much on the horizon, and whether the Frenchman will pull the trigger on his decent career at the end of the season remains to be seen. It has been over six months since Monfils enjoyed a productive spell on the Tour (a fourth-round finish in Miami), and his last match win was at Wimbledon. At 38, he is still capable of the occasional moment of brilliance, but not sustained stretches. Shevchenko owns a 1-0 record in the head-to-head and has a lot to play for at this stage of his career, so he will fancy his chances.

Prediction: Shevchenko in 3

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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