Frenchman Ugo Humbert, winner of the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai on Saturday, “is an exceptional player,” his compatriot Gaël Monfils told AFP on Tuesday in Indian Wells (California, United States). “Ugo is playing very well, he has been in good shape for quite some time, since the end of last year, with his title in Metz (November 2023) where he showed very good things. He has very high goals, a very high level, I’m happy that he’s getting there. Ugo is an exceptional player, it’s cool that everything is falling into place for him,” praised Monfils.
Ugo Humbert won the Dubai tournament last week after eliminating Monfils in the first round. Humbert is now 14th in the world rankings, his record, and could enter the Top 10 if he performs well at the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells, which begins on Wednesday. Humbert will start in the tournament on Friday or Saturday directly in the second round. Monfils faces the Australian Max Purcell in the first round before a possible second round against the Pole Hubert Hurkacz (8th in the world).
“I’m doing pretty well, with matches won in this tour in the Middle East, matches held against very good players, I’m trying to keep this momentum,” explained Monfils. The 37-year-old Frenchman reached the semi-finals in Doha before losing in the first round in Dubai.