Alexander Zverev's projected path to Monte Carlo Masters 2025 final

Alexander Zverev is a two-time Monte Carlo semi-finalist.

Alexander Zverev’s reasonable start to the 2025 season slumped into something less tangible as the action moved to America. Making his debut in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, the German World No. 2 did not make it past the quarter-finals. His most disappointing result was in Acapulco, where he was a two-time finalist and winner in 2021. An unexpected loss to American teen Learner Tien left at 4-3 across the three events.  

Alexander Zverev didn’t do too well at the ATP 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami and is on the back foot in Monte-Carlo. The 27-year-old lost to Tallon Griekspoor in his Indian Wells opener and to Arthur Fils in the fourth round at Miami.

As he makes his ninth visit to Monte Carlo, the two-time semi-finalist will play his third clay-court event of the season. A good performance on the red dirt will bolster his chances of a title defence in Rome next month.  

Zverev experienced a drop in form after his title-round appearance in Melbourne. The decision to travel to South America did not pay off for the top seed. The German leads a loaded top half of the draw as he looks to win his first title of the year. Zverev will also have to look to history in his quest for the Monte Carlo Masters 2025 trophy. There has not been a German finalist at the venue since Rainer Schuttler in 2004. Schuttler lost to Guillermo Coria in straight sets that year.  

Also Read: Monte Carlo Masters 2025: All you need to know about prize money & points on offer

Here’s Alexander Zverev’s likely path to the final of the ATP Monte Carlo Masters 2025.

Round 2 – Matteo Berrettini / Mariano Navone

Zverev will face Matteo Berrettini or Mariano Navone in his opening match in Monte-Carlo. What is worrying is that Zverev has failed to win on clay courts this season, where he has a 3-2 record.

Should Zverev clash with Berrettini, it will be their seventh head-to-head meeting, with Zverev leading 4-2. The pair last met in Wimbledon 2023, where the Italian came through in straight sets. The top seed has an edge over Berrettini heading into their face-off with a 3-1 advantage in Masters events. 

If Mariano Navone survives Berrttini, it will be a maiden tour-level meeting between Zverev and the unseeded Argentine. Navone is 2-8 across all Masters and is making his maiden appearance in Monte-Carlo. 

Also Read: ATP Monte Carlo Masters 2025: Updated schedule, fixtures, results, live streaming details

Round 3 – Sebastian Korda / Jiri Lehecka 

The lanky Sebastian Korda has better luck than Zverev at Miami, making the last eight before losing to Novak Djokovic in straight sets. That is one step further than Zverev, a Miami Open finalist in 2018, managed to reach. Korda also enjoys a 1-0 head-to-head lead over Zverev, having won their first and only face-off in the quarter-finals of the ATP Masters in Montreal in 2024. 

An encounter against Jiri Lehecka will not be straightforward either. Zverev and Lehecka are tied at 1-1 after splitting their two meetings in 2023. Zverev caved in, losing in straight sets at the United Cup, while Lehecka put up a fight at their next clash in Dubai, taking the tie to three sets. 

Quarter-finals – Stefanos Tsitsipas / Holger Rune

If Zverev reaches the last eight, he could face three-time champion Stefanos Tsitsipas. Tsitsipas, the No. 6 seed has a 10-6 advantage in their head-to-head. The Greek has defeated Zverev on six occasions against only two losses at ATP 1000 events. This includes the win in the fourth round at Monte-Carlo last season. Zverev earned payback at the Paris Masters that followed. It will be an intriguing contest between the two familiar foes to see who will come out on top.    

Holger Rune is the other possible hurdle Zverev will have to cross if he is to make the last eight. Rune, a 2023 finalist here, defeated Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner en route to the title round. Thus, the Dane has what it takes to make a deep run and buck the 3-1 head-to-head deficit in a potential last-eight clash against Zverev. Rune marked a return to form as he earned a title round appearance at Indian Wells last month. It was his first final at an ATP 1000 event since the Italian Open in 2023.

Semi-finals – Novak Djokovic / Alex de Minaur

Novak Djokovic emerged victorious in his last completed match against Zverev at the ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati in 2023. Their most recent encounter at the 2025 Australian Open witnessed the Serb withdraw a set into their semi-final match. The World No. 5 leads Zverev 8-5 despite recent setbacks and has won the Monte-Carlo title twice. The top seed came close twice with his semi-final appearances in 2018 (lost to Kei Nishikori) and 2022 (lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas).

Zverev leads Alex De Minaur 8-2 ahead of any potential semi-final clash against the Australian. It took five attempts for De Minaur to register a victory against Zverev, which came at the 2020 ATP Cup. Zverev drives home the advantage with a 3-0 record against the Aussie at ATP 1000 events. A last-four clash against De Minaur will be a confidence booster before the final round. 

Also Read: Monte Carlo Masters 2025: Top five title favourites in men’s singles ft. Carlos Alcaraz

Final – Jack Draper / Andrey Rublev / Carlos Alcaraz

Zverev will have to save the best for last as he faces the prospect of meeting two familiar foes in the title round – Rublev and Alcaraz. The German player has faced Rublev and Alcaraz 21 times on this tour. He leads both Rublev (7-3) and Alcaraz (6-5). A possible run-in with Draper will be their first, should it materialize.  

While Alcaraz has yet to make a deep run in Monte-Carlo, Andrey Rublev was the champion in 2023. Rublev is a healthy 11-6 at the ATP 1000 event and arrives with Marat Safin as part of his coaching team. Safin, a former World No. 1, has been tasked with changing Rublev’s fortunes on tour. Rublev won the 2025 ATP 500 Qatar Open in February – his first title since the Madrid Open last season. 

Carlos Alcaraz will play for the first time since 2022 and will arrive in Monte-Carlo in 2025 with a 15-4 win-loss record. Alcaraz has made the last eight or better at four straight tournaments, beginning with the Australian Open. He won his maiden Rotterdam Open title on the way. His only early exit came in the second round at Miami in March.

Jack Draper will strike a confident note as he arrives in Monte-Carlo following his triumph at Indian Wells. Making his debut in the Masters final, the right-hander won the title losing just one set. Any match-up with Zverev will be a first on tour for the duo. The Englishman has been impressive, with a 13-3 record in the ongoing season. 

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