French Open R1 previews and predictions: Humbert vs. Sonego, Coric vs. Gasquet

France’s Ugo Humbert will be in action in front of the home crowd in Paris against Lorenzo Sonego when the French Open gets underway on Sunday. Meanwhile, French veteran Richard Gasquet battles Borna Coric.

(17) Ugo Humbert vs. Lorenzo Sonego

This is a tricky first-round match for France’s current top player. Humbert’s ranking is up to No. 16 in the world thanks to a pair of titles earlier this season and a decent run to the quarterfinals of the Monte-Carlo Masters a few weeks ago. As luck would have it, Sonego was the player Humbert beat in the round of 16 in Monte-Carlo, so this matchup is quite fresh right now.

Clay is the Frenchman’s least successful surface by some margin. Humbert’s game is better suited for grass or faster hard courts. Still, the 25-year-old is markedly improved all around in the past year, and his performance on clay is one exception.

Sonego isn’t having a good season. The Italian, who does excel on clay, is a miserable 7-15 for his 2024 campaign and he has won just three tour-level matches on clay in six tournaments played (he also spent some time on the Challenger circuit this spring). The surface should favor Sonego, but current form tips the scales right back to Humbert.

Cheryl pick: Humbert in 4

Ricky pick: Humbert in 5

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Borna Coric vs. (WC) Richard Gasquet

Gasquet, one of France’s veteran stars, is winding his career down. The former world No. 7 is now ranked 124th in the world and gained entry at Roland Garros with a well-deserved wild card. He has won just two tour-level matches this year; it’s not hard to imagine that this might be his last French Open.

Croatia’s Borna Coric isn’t exactly tearing up the circuit this year, either. The 27-year-old is ranked 73rd and comes into the French Open off a first-round loss at the Rome Masters. This pair has played twice before, but their most recent encounter was back in 2018 on the hard courts of Dubai.

Even with a somewhat favorable first-round opponent, it’s hard to imagine Gasquet getting into the second round. He has historically played poorly in front of the home crowd in France and really hasn’t been on his game since he won his most recent title back in the beginning of 2023.

Cheryl pick: Coric in 4

Ricky pick: Coric in 4

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