The first round competition in Montpellier concludes on Wednesday when Stan Wawrinka takes on Hamad Medjedovic. Aleksandar Kovacevic, second twelve months ago, faces qualifier Moise Kouame.
Hamad Medjedovic vs. (WK) Stan Wawrinka
It is a difficult draw at the Open Occitanie for Medjedovic and Wawrinka. Two of the best unseeded players in the field, they will face off in the first round on Wednesday and the winner will face top seed and defending champion Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Wawrinka has a strong swan song at the Australian Open, where he reached the third round before losing to Taylor Fritz. Even with plenty of free time, the 40-year-old Swiss can feel the effects of thirteen difficult sets of tennis. Medjedovic, who lost to Alex de Minaur in the second round Down Under, has already won forty indoor hard court matches in his young career. This includes a NextGen ATP Finals victory in 2023. The 22-year-old Serbian may have the upper hand in this, especially if it becomes a difficult three-setter.
Choice: Medjedovic in 3
(Q) Moise Kouame vs. (8) Aleksandar Kovacevic
Kovacevic was brilliant in Montpellier last year, qualifying for the main draw and eventually upsetting Andrey Rublev in the semi-finals before losing an epic final 6-2, 6-7(7), 7-6(2) to Auger-Aliassime. The 83rd-ranked American has been up and down so far in 2026, with a semi-final appearance in Brisbane followed by a 1-3 record in his last three tournaments, including one Challenger.
Leading the way for Kovacevic on Wednesday is Kouame, who qualified for his first ATP main draw thanks to wins over Elias Ymer and Clement Chidekh. The 16-year-old Frenchman is ready to start the season with an overall record of 12-0 with back-to-back Futures titles (both on indoor hard courts). All the pressure is on Kovacevic, who has to defend finalist points and faces an opponent eleven years younger than him. Still, his experience should make the difference against a player who has never been on this kind of stage before.
Choice: Kovacevic in 3
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