Francisco Cerúndolo has struggled in recent months with form, confidence, and fitness issues, but he consistently finds a way to raise his level when it comes to Masters tournaments. His straight-sets win over Damir Dzumhur in the first round of the Paris Masters improved his opening-round record at Masters events this year to an impressive 8-0.
It was the Argentine’s 17th win at the Masters level in 2025, placing him behind only Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti for the most victories at this tier of events this season. He reached three quarterfinals or better at Masters tournaments during the first half of the year, and those results have helped him maintain a ranking around No. 20 despite a significant drop in form and performance in the second half of the season.
Cerúndolo has reached the Round of 16 in three of the four hardcourt Masters events he has entered this year, and he will be aiming to extend that streak in Paris. He has enjoyed consistent success at the Paris Masters in recent seasons, reaching the Round of 16 in both 2023 and 2024, with notable second-round wins over Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev, respectively.
Miomir Kecmanovic’s matches these days are often a coin toss, as almost any result feels possible. In the first round of the Paris Masters, the coin landed in his favor as he edged out Aleksandar Kovacevic in a tight three-set battle. He now needs one more win to achieve his best result at this event, having reached the second round twice before, in 2020 and 2024, but failing to advance on both occasions.
The Serbian has a poor 6–15 career record in the second round of Masters events and is currently on a four-match losing streak at this stage. The last time he progressed beyond the second round was in Rome 2024, where he produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Casper Ruud 0-6, 6-4, 6-4 after being bageled in the opening set.
Head-to-head: Francisco Cerundolo leads 2–0. Miomir Kecmanovic is capable of matching Cerundolo’s level on hard courts, but his application and consistency often let him down. Even when he finds his rhythm, he struggles to convert opportunities at key moments. He certainly has the tools to challenge Cerundolo, especially given the Argentine’s current form fluctuations, but it remains uncertain whether Kecmanovic can deliver a sustained level of performance to make it count.