MARSEILLE/WASHINGTON, February 12, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

It’s been a long and, sometimes, lonely road for Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert the past few years. Once a Marseille finalist in 2021 and a Top-40 player before that – not to mention holder of a career Grand Slam in doubles with Nicolas Mahut – tour-level singles wins have been few and far between the past few seasons for the 33-year-old from Schiltigheim (the largest suburb of Strasbourg in northeastern France), as he’s dealt with injury setbacks as well as with his youngest son’s diagnosis with hyperinsulinemia a year ago.

Fortunately, Herbert is healthy again and his son is on the road to better health after undergoing pancreatic surgery last April. It’s allowed the popular French player some peace of mind and to be able continue his career. The 192nd-ranked Herbert, who lately has been resigned to playing on the ATP Challenger Tour in order to improve his ranking – and made this year’s Marseille main draw by winning two rounds of qualifying, over fellow Frenchmen Calvin Hemery and Manuel Guinard – has always enjoyed some of his best wins indoors in his beloved country.

On Wednesday afternoon at the Open 13 Provence, Herbert rallied from a set down to win an all-French affair over former junior No. 1 Harold Mayot, 2-6, 7-5, 6-3, in two hours and 34 minutes that delighted the enthusiastic crowd on Court Central inside the Palais des Sports de Marseille. It wasn’t easy – and, sometimes, Herbert was his own worst enemy – but he persevered against the 136th-ranked Mayot in their first career meeting. He found a way to turn mental tension into a positive attribute through patience.

Herbert: victoire

In an all-French battle, Pierre-Hugues Herbert fights back against Harold Mayot in a 2-6, 7-5, 6-3 thriller!@Open13 | #O13Provence pic.twitter.com/wwX934djcw

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 12, 2025

After letting a pair of match points slip away – both times on doubles faults – and another one on an unforced error when he netted an easy return, Herbert finally pulled out his eighth career triumph in Marseille with an overhead smash winner that rewarded him with his first tour-level main draw victory of the season. Mayot fell to 0-3.

“It was the first time we faced each other, but I have a lot of respect for Harold,” Herbert said in his on-court interview. “He’s a really great guy – on and off the court – he’s a fighter. I knew it was going to be a tough match. I started pretty badly, but I managed to find myself with my rhythm and in the end win. So, I’m really glad and really happy.”

Herbert finished with 42 winners – 16 on service aces – but he also committed 57 unforced errors. Mayot countered with 25 winners and made 44 unforced errors. Herbert converted three of 12 break-point chances and saved 10 of 13 break points he faced from his 23-year-old opponent. Herbert outpointed Mayot 110-108.

Comeback complete ✅@p2hugz overcomes Mayot 2-6 7-5 6-3 to set up a meeting with Daniil Medvedev #open13provence pic.twitter.com/rFNG0Eoefl

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 12, 2025

Since the start of the 2022 season, Herbert has posted all seven of his indoor wins in France: in Montpellier, Metz and Marseille. Now, his latest triumph on home soil has set up a second-round meeting – and a rematch of the 2021 Marseille final – with this year’s top seed, World No. 7 Daniil Medvedev of Russia on Thursday.

“It’s a big match up, it’s been a long time since I’ve had these kinds of matches,” Herbert said. “I’m really happy to be on the court against him. I’ll give it my best.”

Meanwhile, Herbert is through to the semifinals in doubles with fellow Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi. On Wednesday evening, Herbert and Bonzi teamed to defeat Polish pair Karol Drzewiecki and Piotr Matuszewski, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 10-6, in one hour and 25 minutes on Court 1. The French duo teamed to hit five aces, won 79 percent of their first-serve points, faced no break points on their serve, and converted one of three break-point chances. They outpointed their opponents 70-66.

Humbert begins title defense with tricky win over Bublik

Defending champion and this year’s No. 2 seed Ugo Humbert of France advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal round with an entertaining 7-6 (7), 6-4 victory over No. 48 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in an hour and 33 minutes on Court Central Wednesday evening.

Behind an attack that featured 19 winners – including nine service aces – and a 78-percent efficiency of scoring points on his first serve, the 26-year-old World No. 17 from Metz converted two of four break points against Bublik, withstood 21 winners (10 of them aces) and outpointed his opponent 73-65 in moving on to the last eight.

Direction les quarts pour le tenant du titre @HumbertUgo qui élimine Alexander Bublik 7-6(7) / 6- 4#open13provence #atptour pic.twitter.com/FM1t5axL2A

— Open 13 Provence (@Open13) February 12, 2025

“It’s a real pleasure to come back because I have really great memories,” Humbert said in his on-court interview, after improving to 15-1 in his last 16 matches in France, including titles won at Metz in 2023 and last year in Marseille. “I’m very proud of this victory. Having a title to defend is a different kind of pressure. It’s a pleasure to play in France.”

Next, Humbert will face No. 7 seed Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, who advanced by walkover after his opponent, 164th-ranked lucky loser Luca Van Assche of France, withdrew due to illness.

Around the Palais des Sports de Marseille

• No. 80 Daniel Altmaier of Germany advanced to his 10th career ATP Tour quarterfinal – and second on a hard court after reaching the last eight at Rotterdam last week – with his 6-4, 6-3 victory over No. 98 Otto Virtanen of Finland in 87 minutes on Court Central. This is the second time in Altmaier’s carer that he’s reached tour-level back-to-back quarterfinals following his 2021 runs at Umag and Kitzbühel on clay.

Back ✌️ back!@daniel_altmaier replicates his Rotterdam Elite 8 run last week ➡️ 6-4 6-3 over Virtanen@Open13 | #O13Provence pic.twitter.com/6p4ZhYTxgz

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 12, 2025

Altmaier, who finished with 19 winners, put away the win with a sixth-shot running forehand winner against Virtanen. He added nine aces, won 73 percent of his first-serve points converted four of 10 break points and outpointed Virtanen 74-61.

Next, Altmaier will face No. 96 Hamad Medjedovic of Serbia, who upset 2018 Marseille champion and this year’s No. 3 seed Karen Khachanov of Russia, 6-2, 6-3, in 72 minutes on Court Central Wednesday evening. Medjedovic hit 18 winners, broke Khachanov’s serve four times, and outpointed him 61-42 in reaching his fourth ATP Tour quarterfinal – and third one indoors.

Roaring into the QFs

Look what it means as @MedjedovicHamad posts a 6-3 6-3 victory Khachanov @Open13 | #O13Provence pic.twitter.com/r5JDkQ8BW5

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 12, 2025

• In a battle of French qualifiers on Court 1, No. 202 Hugo Grenier defeated Arthur Gea, ranked 306th, 7-5, 6-4, in one hour and 42 minutes on Court 1. Grenier hit eight aces, won 86 percent of points on his first serve, saved all six break points he faced from Gea and outpointed him 74-59. Next, Grenier will face No. 46 Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany on Thursday.

Hugo Grenier élimine son compatriote Arthur Gea 7-5 / 6-4

Il rencontrera Struff au prochain tour.

Photo @corinnedubreuil #open13provence #atptour #hugogrenier pic.twitter.com/3qPs5L5x1p

— Open 13 Provence (@Open13) February 12, 2025

• In the doubles draw, No. 2 seeds Sander Gille of Belgium and Jan Zielinski of Poland, finalists at Rotterdam last week, advanced to the quarterfinal round in Marseille with a 3-6, 7-6 (7), 10-3 victory over Kamil Majchrzak and Szymon Walkow of Poland in an hour and 39 minutes on Court Central. The Belgian/Polish duo combined to hit six aces, won 85 percent of their first-serve points and outpointed their opponents 71-70. Next, they will oppose Yuki Bhambri of India and Matwe Middelkoop of the Netherlands.

Also, Petr Nouza and Patrick Rikl of Czechia advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Germans Jakob Schnaitter and Mark Wallner in 67 minutes on Court 1. Next, Nouza and Rikl will face No. 1 seeds Hugo Nys of Monaco and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France in the last eight on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the first quarterfinal of the doubles draw, No. 3 seeds Andre Goransson of Sweden and Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands held off Manuel Guinard of France and Joran Vliegen of Belgium, 7-6 (10), 6-4, in an hour and 36 minutes on Court 1. The winners combined to hit eight aces, won 89 percent of their first-serve points and converted one of eight break points while not facing any break points on their serve. Goransson and Verbeek outpointed Guinard and Vliegen 76-61.

Wednesday’s Open 13 Provence results

Thursday’s Open 13 Provence order of play

By the numbers

Three lucky losers have reached the quarterfinals in the history of the Open 13 Provence – none since 2019.

“Quotable …”

“Since COVID it’s been catastrophic. They’re so heavy that you can hit them and they won’t go out of bounds. It’s really changing tennis, there’s less creativity.”

– Richard Gasquet of France, describing the current condition of tennis balls used on the ATP Tour, during his post-match news conference Tuesday after being eliminated from the Open 13 Provence by Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan (as translated from French).