Surprisingly, Dominic Thiem and Ugo Humbert will be going head-to-head for the very first time in their careers when they clash in round two of the Moselle Open on Tuesday. They have faced each other at the Challenger level once before, with Humbert cruising 6-3, 6-0 in the 2022 Rennes final–also on an indoor hard court in France.
This contest figures to be more competitive now that Thiem is at least showing some signs of life in his comeback from a 2021 wrist injury. That’s not say that the 30-year-old’s return to tennis has gone well; it’s simply not quite as dire as it was in 2022. Thiem has won 19 matches on the main tour this season (compared to 23 losses) following his 6-4, 6-2 rout of lucky loser Matteo Martineau on Monday.
Of course, things will get much, much tougher in the form a far more accomplished Frenchman on Tuesday. Humbert is wrapping up the most consistent year of his career, during which he has compiled a 29-23 record that has him up to a best-ever ranking of 23rd in the world. He is a stellar 20-10 since Wimbledon, with six trips to at least the quarterfinals of tournaments dating back to the start of the American hard-court summer.
Humbert has been especially hot of late, with a quarterfinal showing at the Shanghai Masters followed by a semifinal performance in Basel. The left-hander had a chance to make a run last week in Paris, but he was edged out by Alexander Zverev in a third-set tiebreaker during second-round action. On the bright side, that result leaves Humbert well-rested and reenergized for Metz.
With home-court advantage and on an indoor surface that favors his game, the No. 4 seed should take care of business without too much trouble.
Pick: Humbert in 2
WWW?
Theim in 3. I can see Humbert eyeing down his vacation at the end of the week
Humbert in two