ATP Paris Masters: Gael Monfils vs Francisco Cerundolo; Preview, Head-to-Head, and Prediction

It is the year-end and some of the best players in the world have gathered together to contest for the final ATP 1000 Masters title in Paris. One of the names to look out for at the tournament here will be veteran Gael Monfils. Playing in his home, the Frenchman seems to have defied age, winning an ATP title recently at age 37. With the will to make it as far as he can in Paris, he would be looking to keep his momentum going.

However, standing his way will be Francisco Cerundolo. But who between the two poses a better chance of making it through to the next round here in Paris? Is it the experienced French veteran playing in his home or will the Argentinean stun him?

Gael Monfils vs Francisco Cerundolo: Preview

Coming into the Paris Masters, Gael Monfils will be holding a lot of confidence. After an injury-ridden start to the season, Monfils had to work hard. Eventually, at the French Open, he managed to lay his hands on a first-round victory. However, he suffered a wrist injury that forced him to retire, following which he made a sensational comeback to make it to the third round in the Cincinnati Masters and the quarter-finals at the Canadian Open.

Then came the Stockholm Open, where the Frenchman stunned everyone and went ahead to lay his hands on the title – 12 years after he last won it. Not only this, he even managed to keep his record of making it through to the finals of at least one tournament every single year since 2005. Coming to Paris, with the home support by his side, he will be looking to carry forward his dominant run.

On the other hand, his opponent, Francisco Cerundolo has struggled to find his form in the past few months. However, when it comes to this year, some of his notable achievements include a title-winning triumph at the Eastbourne International, a finals appearance at the Lyon Cup, and a couple of quarter-final finishes at the Miami and Rome Masters.

With the chance of regaining his glory, he would be entering the court all guns blazing to ensure that he wins this time around while announcing his arrival in Paris.

Monfils vs Cerundolo: Head-to-head

Interestingly, the two have faced off just once against each other. The encounter came at the Miami Open about a year ago. The Argentinean proved to be too strong for the Frenchman and defeated him in straight sets. The final scoreline of the match remained 6-2, 6-3 in favor of Cerundolo.

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Prediction: Monfils to take the win home and equal the head-to-head record

With the run and physical ability that Gael Monfils showcased at the Stockholm Open, he has announced that he has regained his long-lost form. On the other hand, his opponent Cerundolo still struggles with his state of play. This makes Monfils a worthy contender for winning the match.

With the win, the 37-year-old Frenchman can also equal the head-to-head record between the two. However, the win won’t come easy for Monfils as he would have to put in some extra effort to ease past the significantly younger Cerundolo. Only time that will reveal who among the two makes it through. Who are you rooting for? Do let us know in the comments below!

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