Alexander Bublik will kick off his Montpellier campaign on Wednesday with a second-round showdown against Denis Shapovalov. First-round action is wrapping up with a contest between Gael Monfils and Flavio Cobolli.
Denis Shapovalov vs. (2) Alexander Bublik
Bublik and Shapovalov will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the second time on an indoor hard court in France when they meet again at the Open Sud de France on Wednesday. Their first encounter came in Marseille four years ago, when Bublik prevailed 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 . The Kazakh also got the job done 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 on the red clay of Madrid in 2021.
Even at the ATP 250 level, it is a small victory for Shapovalov simply to be in the second round. The 24-year-old Canadian missed the end of last season after Wimbledon and started 2024 with back-to-back losses in Auckland and at the Australian Open. However, he took care of Hugo Gaston 6-1, 6-3 on Tuesday in Montpellier. Bublik, who earned a bye as the No. 2 seed, is 3-2 so far this year with a semifinal showing in Adelaide. Although you never know what you are going to get from the world No. 27 on any given day, he should be at least somewhat motivated since he is skipping Kazakhstan’s Davis Cup tie this week in order to play in Montpellier. As a result, Bublik’s success in this matchup should continue at the expense of a rusty, injury-plagued opponent.
Pick: Bublik in 3
Flavio Cobolli vs. (8) Gael Monfils
It will be a tale of two players at different extremes of the career spectrum when Monfils and Cobolli collide for the first time. Monfils appears to be on his last legs as a professional at 37 years old, as he is struggling down at No. 70 in the world mostly due to recurring injury problems. A 1-2 record so far this season–which includes a routine straight-set loss to Tomas Martin Etcheverry in round two at Melbourne Park–indicates that the Frenchman is far from his best these days.
A matchup with Cobolli won’t be easy, because the 21-year-old Italian is firmly on the rise. He wrapped up 2023 with plenty of Challenger Tour success followed by an appearance in the NextGen ATP Finals. Up to a career-high of 76th in the rankings, Cobolli qualified for the Australian Open main draw and advanced two rounds before falling to Alex de Minaur. A big edge in current form goes to the youngster, so unless Monfils suddenly raises his level a minor upset could be in the cards.
Pick: Cobolli in 3
Yes, Bublik in 3