Miami Masters 2023: Humbert vs Monfils Prediction, Odds & Pick

TennisSection previews the 2023 Miami Masters first-round match featuring Ugo Humbert vs Gael Monfils on Wednesday, March 22, 2023.

Ugo Humbert vs Gael Monfils Match Preview

Can Gael Monfils record his first win of the season? Or will Ugo Humbert extend La Monf’s winless run for one more tournament? The lefty looks poised to win this first-round match at the Miami Masters.

Ugo Humbert has recovered from that nasty fall in Montpellier last month which resulted in a muscle tear in his hamstring. And he has bounced back superbly and played some great tennis at the Pau Challenger where he fell agonizingly short in his quest to win that record-breaking final against Luca Van Assche – the longest Challenger final in history. His performance improved immeasurably in Indian Wells, where he scored a big shock by knocking out Denis Shapovalov in the second round. Can he produce a similar run to the third round at the Miami Masters?

Gael Monfils, meanwhile, enters the 2023 Miami Masters with a protected ranking. Just like Indian Wells, the Frenchman has his sight set on getting his first win of the season. He lost to Jordan Thompson in the California desert and stayed around to play the Phoenix Challenger where he also lost at the first hurdle to eventual finalist Alexander Shevchenko. Can La Monf pull the rabbit out of the hat on Wednesday against Ugo Humbert?

Ugo Humbert vs Gael Monfils Prediction and Pick

Ugo Humbert leads Gael Monfils 1-0 in their head-to-head. Their only career meeting came at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships where Humbert fought back from two-sets-to-love down and led 3-0 in the fifth when Monfils retired. A lot has changed since that meeting almost four years ago. Monfils is waning and with his documented injury struggle, Humbert is primed to inflict a second chastening defeat on his compatriot.