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ATP Toronto Day 1 Predictions Including Gael Monfils vs Tomas Barrios Vera

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Steen Kirby | Last updated Jul 27, 2025 10:00 AM ET

French players Gael Monfils and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard are among the names to watch on the first main draw day of the National Bank Open, ATP Toronto. Our panelists offer all their predictions for the matches.

Colton Smith vs Learner Tien

The former NCAA player Smith is well on his way to the top 100 and a breakout run on the US Open Series. Smith qualified for Washington, and did the same in Toronto. He has two Challenger finals this year and he won one of them. The teenager Tien won two matches in D.C. and at 13-16 on the season, he’s well on his way to being a credible ATP player. These are two young guns, but Tien is further along the ATP learning curve despite being younger, so in the All-American matchup I’ll give him the edge. Prediction: Tien in 3

Jacob Fearnley vs Juan Pablo Ficovich

Fearnley is 14-14 at tour level this year, he struggled a bit on the grass court swing and is looking to find form again. Ficovich is ranked outside the top 100 but did come through qualifying after reaching the quarters in Los Cabos. The 28 year old has reached two Challenger finals this year, he prefers clay, but he’s playing excellent tennis right now and this is a test for Fearnley, that he should survive. Prediction: Fearnley in 2

Shintaro Mochizuki vs Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard

Perricard is a mercurial player, he’s just 6-15 at tour level this year, the 22 year old Japanese player Mochizuki is approaching the top 100 in the rankings. Twice a challenger finalist, he’s bound to cause Perricard problems if GMP is not serving lights out. I’ll go with an upset based on ranking, but no on form. Prediction: Mochizuki in 3

Gaël Monfils vs Tomás Barrios Vera

At 38 and 17-13 on the season, Monfils is still capable of magic, he hasn’t posted a losing record on the tour his entire career (dating back to 2004). His trouble has been fitness and consistency. The qualifier from Chile, Barrios Vera hasn’t won a tour match this year (0-7) but is 22-10 on the Challenger Tour. Given all of his recent finals have been clay Challengers, he’s unlikely to pull off an upset in this one, but Monfils is not playing his best. Prediction: Monfils in 3

Roman Safiullin vs Ugo Blanchet

The journeyman Blanchet is 11-13 on the year, he qualified for this tournament, and did win a Challenger in January. Safiullin is an awful 4-13 on the season and really trying to turn things around. Blanchet is the kind of opponent he should still be capable of beating though. Prediction: Safiullin in 3

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

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