France’s top tennis player Ugo Humbert was drawn on Friday to take on the American Brandon Nakashima in the opening round at the Paris Masters which starts on Monday.
Should the 26-year-old survive the challenge, he will play a qualifier in the second round and possibly meet world number two Carlos Alcaraz in the last-16.
Humbert, who won titles in Marseille and Dubai in 2024, is among six Frenchmen in the main draw at the season’s final event in the Masters 1000 series – considered the most prestigious tournaments on the circuit after the four Grand Slam events in Melbourne, Paris, London and New York.
French veteran Richard Gasquet, who will be playing at the event for the 17th and final time, was given the honour of performing the draw.
The 38-year-old, who will retire after the 2025 French Open in Paris, will play Flavio Cobolli from Italy, who is 16 years his junior.
“It will be a difficult match,” said Gasquet. “He’s a young player who’s destined for big things.”
Gasquet, whose best result at the Paris Masters came in 2007 when he reached the semi-final, added: “It’s a bit of an odd one really. I know that I won’t be playing in this tournament again after this year and so it will be a bit strange. It’s a great court and I am going to give it my best and really enjoy the match.”
Gasquet’s comaptriots – Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard and Adrian Mannarino – were drawn against the Americans Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul respectively.
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