On Tuesday, world No. 11 Hubert Hurkacz will continue his push for a spot in the ATP Finals when he takes on world No. 42 Adrian Mannarino in the first round of the Rolex Paris Masters. The big Pole is ninth in the Race for Turin, but he got a difficult opening-round draw. Mannarino might not be playing all that well at the moment, but the Frenchman plays an unusual game and will have plenty of crowd support. With that added adrenaline, we think the 34-year-old can put a scare into Hurkacz.
Mannarino enters this tournament on a three-match losing streak, but Hurkacz is just 3-3 in his last six matches. That’s not a great recent record for a player that is desperate to win matches. So, while Mannarino might be struggling to earn wins himself, it’s not like he’s playing somebody that is untouchable right now. Plus, the Frenchman beat Hurkacz in straight sets when the two met at this year’s Australian Open, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. That result should give Mannarino a whole lot of confidence entering this match, but it will ultimately come down to his serving.