Montpellier R2 previews and predictions: Rublev vs. Eubanks, Auger-Aliassime vs. Cazaux

Chris Eubanks
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Top two seeds Andrey Rublev and Felix Auger-Aliassime will headline second-round action in Montpellier on Wednesday. They will kick off their weeks with respective showdowns against Chris Eubanks and Arthur Cazaux.

(1) Andrey Rublev vs. Chris Eubanks

Rublev needs a productive week in the worst way. The 27-year-old is 0-2 so far this season and on a five-match losing streak dating back to the Nitto ATP Finals. He is 1-7 in his last eight matches dating back to the Basel quarterfinals. At No. 10 in the world, Rublev is in danger of soon falling out of the top 10 for the first time since September of 2022.


Up first for the Open Occitanie top seed on Wednesday following a first-round bye is a second matchup with Eubanks. Their only previous encounter came at the 2024 Australian Open, where Rublev rolled 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Eubanks didn’t come close to backing up his breakthrough 2023 campaign, as he compiled an 11-19 main-tour record last season and is down at No. 111 in the rankings. The former Georgia Tech standout did well to beat Alibek Kachmazov on Tuesday, but Rublev–even in his current state–is an entirely different kind of opponent.

Pick: Rublev in 2

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WWW: Rublev vs. Eubanks?


Arthur Cazaux vs. (2) Felix Auger-Aliassime

Auger-Aliassime and Cazaux will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers and for the second time already this season. They just faced each other in Adelaide, where Auger-Aliassime prevailed 1-6, 6-4, 7-5 on his way to the title. He beat Cazaux in a third-set tiebreaker at this same Montpellier tournament last year, too, also in the second round.

Another competitive contest should be in the cards, especially since Cazaux looked good on Monday in a 6-4, 6-3 defeat of doubles partner Stan Wawrinka. However, if the Frenchman can’t beat Auger-Aliassime outdoors then it’s hard to see him winning indoors. The 23rd-ranked Canadian has always been outstanding indoors; in fact, his Adelaide triumph earlier this month was his first title on any other surface.

Pick: Auger-Aliassime in 3

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  1. Rublev and Auger-Aliassime Set to Dominate Montpellier: Top Seeds Face Off in ATP 250 Event – Gamerista

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