Monte Carlo: Jannik Sinner knows the name of his first challenger

It will be Ugo Humbert who first challenges Jannik Sinner at the Monte Carlo tournament. Despite being number 34 in the world, it is well known that clay is not his favorite surface. And facing Moise Kouame, number 328 but an up-and-coming talent in French tennis at only 17 years old, was certainly not an easy task.

Already the first game, in which the Metz player is forced to cancel a break ball, proved this. After the initial scare, however, Humbert reacted great and immediately took control, leading 4-0. His opponent also contributes, showing powerful but uncluttered strokes and a fast but not precise enough first serve to put him in trouble. Despite conceding a break with a double fault, Humbert closed the first set without any problems, brought home with a score of 6-3.

In the second set the match became more tightly contested: despite this, it was still Humbert who found the break first, taking it to 4-2. As the evening wanes and the playing conditions change, the Frenchman looks for the right sensations, but continues to manage the match thanks mainly to his backhand down the line and the angles created with his left-handed forehand.

When he serves to close the match, however, he has to deal with a combative Kouame, who does not give up and manages to get back to 5-5. Here the difference in experience emerges: the young man accelerates too much on serve and concedes an easy break. Humbert thus has a second chance to close and this time he makes no mistake. Despite an inferior return with the first, he closes the match with a winning serve and earns the challenge against the South Tyrolean outfielder in the next round.