Preview: Wimbledon: Gael Monfils vs. Ugo Humbert - prediction, form, head-to-head

Prepare for an exciting first-round all-French contest at Wimbledon when veteran Gael Monfils and Ugo Humbert tussle on Tuesday. 

While Monfils's results at the Championships over the years have underwhelmed, he seeks to avoid a fourth opening-round elimination when he takes on his compatriot for the sixth time on the ATP Tour.

Match preview

Having reached the third round on his return to SW19 last year, Monfils aims to at least match that run in 2025. 

However, standing in the veteran's path to another third-round appearance at Wimbledon is Humbert, whom he lost to in London in 2019, albeit after withdrawing in the fifth set. 

That round-one exit six years ago was the most recent early exit suffered by the 38-year-old Frenchman, whose 19-13 overall record at SW19 falls below other majors — Monfils is 37-19 at the Australian Open, 40-17 at the French Open and 33-16 at the US Open. 

The world No. 48's prospects appear bleaker considering his below-par preparation before his 14th main-draw appearance at the Championships, underlined by early losses in Stuttgart to Alex Michelsen and to qualifier Mackenzie McDonald at the Queen's Club Championships. 

Entering the 2025 Championships at 17-10 for the season, the ultimate entertainer seeks an 18th victory in 2025 at the expense of his compatriot.

Humbert, like Monfils, enters his Wimbledon opening round with 17 wins under his belt this year, although he has been beaten three more times than his countryman. 

The world No. 18 was involved in a pair of titanic matches 12 months ago on the lawns of Wimbledon, beating Alexander Shevchenko in five sets in round one and beating Brandon Nakashima in four tight sets in the third round to set up a last 16 encounter with Carlos Alcaraz. 

While the 27-year-old took a set off the Spaniard, he was powerless to resist falling to the eventual champion en route to the sensation's successful title defence. 

After failing to progress past the opening round in 2021 and 2023, losing in five sets to Nick Kyrgios and Jason Kubler, respectively, the lefty aims to avoid the same fate by getting a fourth victory over Monfils on the men's tour. 

The 18th seed should be encouraged by his semi-final runs in 's-Hertogenbosch and Eastbourne ahead of his sixth appearance at SW19. 

Having matched his 2019 performance 12 months ago, Humbert, who is 8-5 overall at the Championships, hopes to build on his positive preparation to reach the second round in back-to-back appearances for the first time.

Head To Head

Shanghai Masters (2024) - Round of 32: Monfils 7-6(7) 2-6 6-1 

Dubai (2024) - Round of 32: Humbert 2-6 6-3 6-3 

Doha (2024) - Quarter-final: Monfils 6-2 6-4 

Miami Masters (2023) - First round: Humbert 3-3 ret. 

Wimbledon (2019) - First round: Humbert 6-7(6) 3-6 6-4 7-5 3-0 ret. 

Six years since their first-round match at Wimbledon, Humbert and Monfils face off at a Grand Slam again. 

The younger Frenchman was a beneficiary of the veteran’s fifth-set retirement in that 2019 contest, which lasted three hours and 18 minutes, and Humbert again benefitted from a Monfils withdrawal after six games in their second meeting in Miami two years ago. 

Having been unfortunate in those first two contests, the 13-time ATP champion has claimed two victories in the recent three meetings and seeks a third triumph in four encounters. 

With five of their six previous meetings on hard courts — two wins apiece — and Humbert claiming their only encounter on grass, the seven-time tour-level champion will hope for another Wimbledon victory at the expense of the veteran. 

We say: Humbert to win in five sets

With five of Humbert's 13 previous Wimbledon matches going the distance, another five-setter against marathon man Monfils is anticipated on Tuesday. 

Having needed a retirement victory to beat his experienced countryman six years ago, we back the 27-year-old to outlast the man 11 years his senior in Tuesday's tournament opener. 

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