Gael Monfils and Jakub Mensik will be back on the court in Dubai on the heels of successful weeks in Doha (Mensik won their semifinal matchup). Monfils is facing Ugo Humbert on Tuesday, while Mensik meets Borna Coric.
(WC) Gael Monfils vs. (5) Ugo Humbert
Humbert and Monfils will be going head-to-head in a second consecutive tournament when they collide again in round one of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Tuesday. The two Frenchman just faced each other in last week’s Doha quarterfinals, with Monfils cruising 6-2, 6-4.
That was likely an aberration to the rule that has been outstanding tennis on display from Humbert dating back to the 2023 fall swing. The world No. 18 wrapped up last year with a title in Metz and he has already lifted a trophy this season in Marseille. For Monfils, his Doha semifinal showing was really just his second notable result (also a title in Stockholm) since reaching the last eight of the Toronto Masters in August of 2023. Humbert should benefit from Dubai conditions that are favorable for big, flat hitters–giving him even more reason to exact some revenge.
Pick: Humbert in 3
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(SE) Jakub Mensik vs. Borna Coric
Mensik delivered his breakthrough tournament on tour in Doha. The 18-year-old Czech defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Andy Murray, Andrey Rublev, and Monfils before falling to Karen Khachanov in the final. That performance, however, did not entirely come out of nowhere; Mensik has impressed throughout the first two months of this 2024 campaign. The world No. 87 finished runner-up at a Challenger in Canberra and then advanced to round three of the Australian Open as a qualifier and extended Hubert Hurkacz to five sets.
Up first for Mensik on Tuesday is Coric, who comes in at 31st in the rankings in hopes of keeping himself in seeding position for upcoming Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami. Runner-up efforts at the Ottignies-Louvain-La-Neuve Challenger and ATP 250 in Montpellier helped, but first-round exits at the Australian Open and Rotterdam 500 did not. Although fatigue could be a factor for Mensik, the Doha final was on Saturday so he gets to enjoy two full days off–and he is 18 years old. Quick conditions in Dubai should help Mensik, as well, so look for him to stay hot.
Pick: Mensik in 2
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