Day 1 of the ATP Paris Masters sees a number of fascinating match-ups get underway. Andy Murray continues his return to the top of the men’s game, and he faces one of the in-form and most exciting players on tour – Jenson Brooksby. As always, we predict every ATP Paris Day 1 match for you. We have four matches in this article, plus two other articles. One features Benoit Paire vs Pablo Carreno Busta and the other features Aslan Karatsev vs Sebastian Korda. So, who will be marching on in Paris?
ATP Paris Day 1 Predictions
Lorenzo Musetti vs Laslo Djere
Head-to-head: Djere 3 – 0 Musetti
It’s somewhat surprising that Laslo Djere dominates this match up. Every encounter between these two has been a close match, but Djere keeps getting the better of him. Musetti is still yet to find his electrifying form from earlier this year, and Djere will be confident heading into this one. With his last victory against the Italian coming on an indoor hard court, things bode well for the Serb. What’s also worrying is that Musetti lost to Gaston in the qualifiers, and only appears here as a lucky loser.
Musetti no doubt has the talent and ability to put away players like Djere comfortably, but his lack of confidence and form hinders this greatly. Djere is a very solid player and won’t be letting the young Italian get away with poor shot selection, and I expect this will be another tight match between them. Musetti’s potential is a fair bit higher than Djere’s, and this may just be his first win in this match-up if – he plays to his ability.
Prediction: Musetti in 3
Hugo Gaston vs Arthur Rinderknech
Head-to-head: First meeting
Hugo Gaston scored two incredible wins in qualifying, getting the better of Kevin Anderson and Lorenzo Musetti. The young Frenchman impressed a great deal at the French Open last year, but hasn’t managed to crack the top 100 yet despite his clear talent. His game evidently suits the clay courts better, but the conditions in the indoor Paris courts clearly seem to be complementing him well.
Fellow Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech is having a very solid year so far, beating some really quality opponents on a regular basis. He can hit with great power and hits solidly from the baseline, which will be fascinating to see against Gaston’s varied game, which is full of drop shots and smart tactics. I can certainly see this match going the distance, but Gaston’s qualifying scalps suggest his form is better and he will be the victor here.
Prediction: Gaston in 3
Andy Murray vs Jenson Brooksby
Head-to-head: First meeting
In typical 2021 Andy Murray fashion, it’s another brutal early match for the Scot. Having recently heaped huge praise and excitement over rising star Jenson Brooksby, he now faces him in the first round. Murray is getting better and better as the weeks go by, and is firmly reinstalling himself as a threat in the men’s game. This encounter should be a lot of fun.
Brooksby has had a superb breakout season, and will no doubt be one of the top players very soon. The young American has a rather unorthodox style of play, but injects so much intelligence and excitement into his matches. He can grind from the back of the court for hours on end and hit spectacular winners from anywhere on the court. The only weakness that is apparent right now is his serve, which lacks a bit of power – and Murray will look to attack this at every chance. The rallies in this match will be lung-busting to say the least, but the younger player should have enough in the tank to wear down his experienced opponent.
Prediction: Brooksby in 3
Main Photo from Getty Images
