The first round action of the Paris Masters begins on Monday, when Flavio Cobolli and Tomas Machac face off for the second time in as many weeks. Terence Atmane takes legal action against Aleksandar Vukic.
Flavio Cobolli vs Tomas Machac
Cobolli and Machac will face off in a second straight first round match when they meet again on Monday at the Rolex Paris Masters. They just faced each other in Vienna, where Cobolli prevailed 7-6(6), 6-2 before losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the round of 16. The 22nd-ranked Italian has cooled off a bit after a hot streak on clay and grass, but he has at least managed to win his opening match in seven of his last nine tournaments.
Machac is one of the most erratic players on tour, and the bad version of himself has been on display since an impressive start to the season. The 30th-ranked Czech has not beaten anyone better than world number 45 since Monte Carlo in April and is 1-4 in his last five matches dating back to the US Open. Aside from Davis Cup duty later this fall, Machac can focus on his 2025 campaign. Expect Cobolli to get the job done, just as he did in Vienna.
Choice: Cobolli in 2
(Q) Aleksandar Vukic vs. (WC) Terence Atmane
Atmane famously made a name for himself in a single tournament. The 68th-ranked Frenchman ran from nowhere to the Cincinnati semifinals, upsetting Cobolli, Joao Fonseca, Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune along the way. Atmane hasn’t done much since that result, although he did advance to the second round of Beijing as a qualifier and won a set against Sinner.
First up for Atmane on Monday is a second clash against Vukic, who lost their only previous meeting 6-4, 6-3 in qualifying for Acapulco in 2024. Vukic also found himself in the Paris qualifiers, where he booked his place in the main draw by beating Adam Walton in three sets before getting a walkover from Reilly Opelka. The 100th-ranked Australian could be dangerous with a win already under his belt, but he is an abysmal 13-27 at ATP level in 2025. Atmane should have a slight edge in front of the home crowd at La Défense’s new venue.
Choice: Atmane in 3
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