ASB CLASSIC – ATP MEDIA NOTES DAY 6 – SATURDAY 18 JANUARY 2020 ASB Tennis Arena | Auckland, New Zealand | 13-18 January 2020 ATP Tour Tournament Media ATPTour.com asbclassic.co.nz Mark Epps: [email protected] (ATP PR) Twitter: @ATPTour @ASB_Classic Rewa Harriman: [email protected] (Press Officer) Facebook: @ATPTour @asbclassic TV & Radio: TennisTV.com FEDEX ATP HEAD 2 HEADS: SINGLES AND DOUBLES FINALS • The all-French final between No. 5 seed Benoit Paire and maiden ATP Tour finalist Ugo Humbert is the first Auckland championship between two countrymen since 2007 when David Ferrer beat Tommy Robredo in an-all Spanish match-up. In the first two weeks of the season, three Frenchmen have already reached a final. Last week in Doha, #NextGenATP Frenchman Corentin Moutet lost in his ATP Tour final debut to Russian Andrey Rublev. • Last season there were 15 first-time ATP Tour champions. Humbert is trying to become the first or second first-time winner this year. South African Lloyd Harris is playing in his first ATP Tour final in Adelaide (vs. Rublev) on Saturday. • Humbert is No. 2 this week in service games won (44 of 46, 96%) while Paire leads in return games won (15 of 56, 27%). Humbert has only lost one set (8-1) while Paire has lost four sets (8-4), winning each match in three sets. FRENCHMEN IN AUCKLAND FINALS (0-5): Humbert or Paire will become the first French winner in Auckland in the Open Era. Coming into this year, Frenchmen were 0-5 in Auckland finals: 2015 – Adrian Mannarino (l. to Vesely) 2010 – Arnaud Clement (l. to Isner) 2002 – Jerome Golmard (l. to Rusedski) 1991 – Jean-Philippe Fleurian (l. to Novacek) 1973 – Patrick Proisy (l. to Parun) ALL-FRENCH ATP TOUR FINALS: This marks the ninth consecutive year there has been at least one all- French final on the ATP Tour. This is the 14th all-French final since 2012: 2020 Auckland Benoit Paire vs. Ugo Humbert 2019 Montpellier Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. Pierre-Hugues Herbert 2018 's-Hertogenbosch Richard Gasquet d. Jeremy Chardy; Montpellier: Lucas Pouille d. Richard Gasquet 2017 Vienna Lucas Pouille d. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; Marseille: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. Lucas Pouille 2016 Montpellier Richard Gasquet d. Paul-Henri Mathieu 2015 Metz Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. Gilles Simon; Marseille: Gilles Simon d. Gael Monfils 2014 Montpellier Gael Monfils d. Richard Gasquet 2013 Metz Gilles Simon d. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga; Montpellier: Richard Gasquet d. Benoit Paire 2012 Bangkok Richard Gasquet d. Gilles Simon; Doha: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga d. Gael Monfils [5] Benoit Paire (FRA) vs Ugo Humbert (FRA) Paire Leads 1-0 19 Winston-Salem (U.S.A.) Hard R16 Benoit Paire 3-6 7-6(2) 6-3 Paire Summary | Age: 30 | World No. 24 | 34-29 in 2019 (Marrakech, Lyon Titles) | 8-5 at Auckland (2020 Finalist) • In 2020, went 2-1 in singles matches for France at ATP Cup (def. Jarry and Lajovic, l. to Anderson). This week has wins over [WC] Sinner 64 26 64, [Q] Monteiro 46 64 63, Millman 36 61 64 and [6] Hurkacz 64 67(1) 62. Leads in return games won (27%, 15 of 56), converting 15 of 27 break pts. (56%) and No. 3 in aces (46). • In 2019, earned career-high 34 wins, highlighted by clay-court titles at Marrakech (d. Andujar) and Lyon (d. Auger Aliassime). Posted 3 wins in 3 sets to reach Winston-Salem final (l. to Hurkacz in 3). Has 3-5 career record in finals. • Advanced to 4R at Roland Garros (l. to Nishikori in 5 sets) and Wimbledon (l. to Bautista Agut). • Squandered 2-set lead and 3 MPs vs. Bedene in US Open 2R. • Fell to No. 69 in FedEx ATP Rankings on March 4 -- lowest since No. 71 on 1 June 2015 and returned to Top 30 on 10 June for 1st time since 25 July 2016. • Two weeks before beating him in Marrakech final, lost to Andujar in Marbella, ESP Challenger final. Humbert Summary | Age: 21 | World No. 57 | 17-23 in 2019 (Marseille, Newport, Antwerp SF) | 4-0 in Auck. (Finalist) • In 2020, last week reached 3R at Canberra (Bendigo-1) Challenger with bye (d. Petrovic, l. to Kudla). This week beat Ruud 76(3) 26 63, Cecchinato 61 64, [2] Shapovalov 75 64 and [4] Isner 76(5) 64 in Auckland debut. Leads tournament in 1st serve pts. won (86%) and No. 2 in service games won (96%, 44 of 46 games), saving 11 of 13 break pts. (85%). Will jump from No. 57 to No. 51 and to a career-high No. 42-43 if wins title (C-H No. 46 last July). For the latest stats, facts and figures about the ATP Tour, follow @ATPMediaInfo on Twitter. ASB Classic Day 6 – Saturday 18 January 2020 Page 2 of 2 www.ATPTour.com • In 2019, earned biggest career win over No. 13 Coric en route to 1st ATP QF and SF at Marseille as WC (l. to Kukushkin). • Reached 2nd SF at Newport (l. to eventual champion Isner) and 3rd SF at Antwerp (l. to eventual champion Murray). • Rallied from 2 sets down vs. Monfils en route to Wimbledon 4R (l. to No. 1 Djokovic). • Broke into Top 50 of ATP Rankings on 15 July and achieved career-high No. 46 on 22 July. • Went 1-2 in debut at Next Gen ATP Finals (d. Sinner, l. to M. Ymer and Tiafoe). • Snapped 5-match tour-level losing streak at Lyon (d. Norrie, l. to Shapovalov in 2R). • Qualified at 3 ATP Tour events, including ATP Masters 1000 Indian Wells (l. to Marterer in 1R). • Won Challenger titles at Cherbourg, FRA (d. Darcis); Istanbul, TUR (d. Istomin) and Brest, FRA (d. Donskoy). • Withdrew from Washington due to fatigue. FIRST SERVE POINTS WON PERFECTION (since 1991) Humbert won all 38 first serve points against Isner and it was the sixth time since 1991 when official match stats began being kept that a player has won 35 or more points (without losing a point) on first serve: Tournament - Round (Opponent) 1st Serve Points Won Leonardo Mayer 2018 Australian Open - 1R (d. Jarry) 46 of 46 John Isner 2008 Cincinnati - 1R (d. Stoppini) 39 of 39 Ugo Humbert 2020 Auckland - SF (d. Isner) 38 of 38 Nikoloz Basilashvili 2017 Memphis - 2R (d. Karlovic) 37 of 37 Andy Ram 2003 Bangkok - 1R (l. to Carlsen) 35 of 35 Goran Ivanisevic 1996 Zagreb - 1R (d. Ruud) 35 of 35 STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN THIS WEEK (coming into final) ASB Classic Benoit Paire Ugo Humbert Aces 46 32 1st-Serve Percentage 58% 66% 1st-Serve Points Won 77% 86% 2nd-Serve Points Won 47% 62% Service Games Won 84% (48 of 57) 96% (44 of 46) Break Points Saved 74% (25 of 34) 85% (11 of 13) 1st-Serve Return Points Won 29% 29% 2nd-Serve Return Points Won 54% 41% Return Games Won 27% (15 of 56) 16% (7 of 44) Break Points Converted 56% (15 of 27) 32% (7 of 22) BOLD: Leads all 28 players at ASB Classic Luke Bambridge (GBR) / Ben McLachlan (JPN) vs First Meeting Marcus Daniell (NZL) / Philipp Oswald (AUT) • Bambridge and McLachlan have a 9-7 career record together and they are appearing in their first ATP Tour final after beating [WC] McDonald/Rai 63 75 in 1R, [3] Bopanna/Kontinen 63 64 in QF and Gille/Vliegen 76(5) 76(4) in SF. They played in seven tournaments last year with four QFs, including the US Open (l. to eventual champs Cabal/Farah). Bambridge is ranked No. 50 (Career-High No. 41) and is 2-4 in ATP Tour finals after runner-up in Doha (w/Gonzalez) last week. His last title came in 2018 Stockholm (w/O’Mara). McLachlan is No. 51 (Career-High No. 18) and is 4-4 in finals. His last title came in Auckland a year ago (w/Struff). • Daniell and Oswald are into their first final after wins over Bolelli/Fognini 63 1-1 ret. in 1R, Nielsen/Puetz 46 61 [10-7] in QF and [4] Krajicek/Skugor 62 76(5) in SF. They have a 9-5 team record and first teamed up in Zhuhai last September (QF). Their previous best results were back-to-back SFs in Moscow and Vienna. Daniell, who won the 2010 Auckland title (w/Tecau), is ranked No. 48 (Career-High No. 34) and is 4-8 in finals. His last title came at 2019 Brisbane (w/Koolhof). Oswald is No. 41 (Career-High No. 37) and is 10-6 in finals. His last title came at 2019 Kitzbuehel (w/Polasek). For the latest stats, facts and figures about the ATP Tour, follow @ATPMediaInfo on Twitter. ASB CLASSIC – ATP MEDIA NOTES DAY 5 – FRIDAY 17 JANUARY 2020 ASB Tennis Arena | Auckland, New Zealand | 13-18 January 2020 ATP Tour Tournament Media ATPTour.com asbclassic.co.nz Mark Epps: [email protected] (ATP PR) Twitter: @ATPTour @ASB_Classic Rewa Harriman: [email protected] (Press Officer) Facebook: @ATPTour @asbclassic TV & Radio: TennisTV.com FEDEX ATP HEAD 2 HEADS: FRIDAY SEMI-FINAL MATCHES Sander Gille (BEL) / Joran Vliegen (BEL) vs Gille/Vliegen Leads 1-0 Luke Bambridge (GBR) / Ben McLachlan (JPN) (2019 Winston-Salem QF – 26 76(4) [10-7] • Belgians are appearing in the SFs after W/O vs. Mayer/Sousa in 1R and 57 76(3) [11-9] win over Sharan/Sitak in QF. They compiled a 2-2 record in ATP Cup last week, posting wins over Albot/Cozbinov (MDA) and Dimitrov/Lasarov (BUL) in between losses to Murray/Salisbury (GBR) and Carreno Busta/Nadal (ESP) in the QFs.