Montpellier Open: Gasquet vs Fils Tennis Prediction & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Montpellier Open as Richard Gasquet takes on Arthur Fils in the first round on Monday, February 6, 2023.

Three-time Montpellier Open champion Richard Gasquet will face compatriot Arthur Fils in the first of only two main draw matches on day one of the event. Who will prevail?

Richard Gasquet returned to the winners’ circle in 2023, clinching his first ATP title in five years in Auckland. He played some scintillating tennis in New Zealand, particularly in the match against David Goffin in which he turned back time to demolish the Belgian. Not even Cameron Norrie stood a chance in the final as Gasquet’s depth and his elegant one-hander trumped the Briton’s high topspin forehand. Gasquet is coming back to the Montpellier Open for the umpteenth time and will be looking to win his fourth title in these parts.

Arthur Fils, meanwhile, has equally enjoyed a productive start to his 2023 campaign. After a series of near-misses last season, the 18-year-old bagged his first ATP Challenger title in Oeiras last month, dropping just one set all week. He almost made it back-to-back titles at the end of January but lost to Gregoire Barrere in Quimper. Fils will be expected to pose a huge challenge to compatriot Richard Gasquet on his Montpellier Open debut.

Richard Gasquet and Arthur Fils will meet for the first time on the ATP Tour. Following his explosive start to the season, Fils has earned himself a wild card at the Montpellier Open and he will be keen to make a lasting impression. The 18-year-old has had a fantastic junior career and he’s got bags of potential to succeed on the main tour. He is still relatively inexperienced at this level which is where Gasquet might look to pounce. But this might not be as straightforward for the 36-year-old as it seems on paper.