Ben Shelton vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina Tips, Prediction & Live Stream - Shelton to remain winless in Monte Carlo

I think Shelton is vulnerable first up in Monte Carlo - the American hasn't won a match at this tournament and is generally still fairly inexperienced on European clay, failing to make it past the third round of Roland Garros or any of the Masters 1000 events.

Meanwhile, Davidovich Fokina is a brilliant clay courter and was a former runner-up in Monte Carlo back in 2022. The Spaniard has defeated the likes of Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Grigor Dimitrov, Matteo Berrettini and Alex de Minaur in Monte Carlo and he can add Shelton to his list of top 15 scalps at this tournament. Davidovich Fokina has won more matches than Shelton in 2025 and was triumphant in the only previous meeting on indoor hardcourt, which favours his opponent. On clay, this is a match Davidovich Fokina should be winning if he maintains his level from throughout 2025.

Davidovich Fokina beat Shelton 7-6 5-7 6-3 in their only previous meeting at the Paris Masters in 2023.

Shelton comes into this tournament with a 10-6 record on the season and will be hoping to improve on European clay over the next couple of months.

Eight of Shelton's 10 wins have come at two tournaments, with the American making the Australian Open semi-finals to launch the season, along with reaching the Indian Wells quarter-finals.

However, the 22-year-old has struggled outside of those big tournaments and was last seen losing in his Miami opener to World No. 170 Coleman Wong.

As mentioned, Shelton has never won a match in Monte Carlo, losing in the opening round last year against Dimitrov.

Davidovich Fokina has put together a 14-8 record on the season heading into this tournament and will be hoping to take his game to another level once more on his preferred surface of clay over the coming months.

The Spaniard endured an extremely tough season in 2024, but after a coaching switch, Davidovich Fokina is back playing some of his best tennis, making the fourth round of the Australian Open and finishing runner-up in Delray Beach.

Davidovich Fokina also made the semi-finals of Acapulco, but ran out of steam in Indian Wells and Miami with first and second round exits respectively.

Refreshed and recharged, Davidovich Fokina will be targeting another memorable run in Monte Carlo, where he made the final back in 2022, going down to Stefanos Tsitsipas.