Damien Kayat takes a look at the selected Quarterfinals matches from the ATP Tour Open Sud de France taking place at Arena Montpelier.
ATP Tour 2020 | Open Sud de France | Arena Montpelier (Indoor Hardcourt)
Selected Quarterfinals – 07 February 2020
Forecast betting
David Goffin (5/10)
vs Pierre-Huges Herbert (16/10)
You can always count on a strong French contingent in this event. Seven of the last nine champions have been from the host nation, which indicates a strong partisan leaning. Pierre Hughes Herbert is a double’s specialist, having completed the career Grand Slam last year at the Australian Open. But he is certainly a talented player, one who wisely chosen to maximize his potential in the double’s arena. He has three single’s finals to his name, all of which have come on hard-courts. More crucially, Herbert reached last year’s final in Montpellier. He beat the likes of Berdych and Shapovalov in the process. He feeds off of the rambunctious French crowd, elevating his performance. He beat the highly-rated Auger Aliasemme in straight sets to reach this stage, hammering home his comfort here. Outside of the final here last season, the rest of his single’s campaign was mundane. But a quarterfinal in Qatar to start the season perhaps indicates that the Frenchman is ready for a final tilt at a single’s success.
You have to admire the gritty determination of David Goffin. He has always lacked the firepower of his contemporaries. I’m not just talking about the ‘Big Three’. The likes of Del Potro, Wawrinka and Dimitrov all possess bigger weapons than the Belgian. But the nuggetty baseliner has always found a way to bat above his average. 2019 turned out to be a sleeper year for Goffin, who surreptitiously slid his way up the rankings. The efficient hard-court specialist reached a Masters 1000 Final in Cincinnati. He also lost the Halle final whilst collecting semi-finals in places as diverse as Japan and France. His quarterfinal at Wimbledon showed maturation on a surface he hasn’t always thrived on. Goffin lost to Rublev in Melbourne and will see this as a brilliant opportunity to add to that trophy cabinet.
It’s fair to say that Goffin has an edge in this rivalry. The Belgian leads the head-to-head 4-0, including an epic five-set victory at this year’s Aussie Open. Herbert pushed Goffin all the way in Melbourne and he loves this surface. The home support is going to be insane and I really think there is value in backing the Frenchman.
Gael Monfils (3/10)
vs Norbert Gombos (22/10)
A true enigma of the men’s game, great entertainer Gael Monfils continues to successfully ply his trade. The Frenchman is a true mystery: the man with amazing movement seems to look perpetually exhausted. I’ve always felt that Monfils could have been more clinical in the earlier stages of Grand Slams, often exhausting himself by the time the 2nd week came. He returns to an arena he knows all too well. Monfils is a two-time Montpellier Champion: in 2010 and 2014. He also has runner-up finishes in 2012 and 2005. 2005! It makes you realize how long he has been around. Monfils has a steady 2019, obviously highlighted by that title in Rotterdam. Semi-finals in Dubai and Canada also impressed. He runs to the quarterfinals at Flushing Meadows was a testament to his amazing longevity. He came from a set down to beat fellow countryman Adrian Mannarino in the last round. Monfils gets fanatical support wherever he goes, though you can expect this week to be particularly boisterous.
29-year-old Norbert Gombos is the prototypical journeyman pro. The Slovakian Davis Cup player has never been fully able to entrench himself as an ATP Tour professional. He has won seven Challenger and three Futures events. He actually showed some decent form in 2019, winning both the Bratislava Open and Winnipeg Challenger event. But few would have given him much of a chance of overcoming Pablo Carreno Busta in the opening round. He beat the Spaniard in three sets and proceeded to beat Ruusuvuori in straight sets.
This will be the first time that these two would have met. Monfils is clearly a huge favourite. But he needed all three sets to see off Mannarino. These matches can bleed into Monfils’ next match. So perhaps a three-set victory for Monfils at 28/10 is the best way to go.
