MONTPELLIER/WASHINGTON, February 3, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
Martin Damm is only one of two players from the United States competing in this week’s Open Occitanie, an ATP 250 indoor hard-court event in southern France. However, the 22-year-old made his Montpellier debut a successful one Tuesday afternoon – and it’s one that no doubt made an impression on former World No. 10 Hubert Hurkacz, his opponent – and, arguably, his namesake father, too.
The 22-year-old Damm, ranked at a career-high No. 160 after qualifying for the Australian Open, secured the third Top-100 victory of his nascent career with a 7-6 (5), 6-4, victory over No. 7 seed Hurkacz from Poland. Damm, whose father Martin Sr., is a former pro from Czechia and reached No. 42 in singles and No. 5 in doubles – winning 40 titles, including the 2006 US Open with Leander Paes – was appearing in just his seventh tour-level match.
Less than a year after reaching the third round at the 2025 Miami Open, in which he secured his first two Top-100 wins against No. 49 Zhang Zhizhen of China and No. 14 Tommy Paul of the United States, the 6-foot-8-inch Florida native is beginning to make a name for himself. Currently, Damm is the 21st-highest ranked American man on the ATP Tour.
During his on-court interview after defeating Hurkacz, Damm said: “It’s obviously great that I have a father who has such tremendous experience and was a great player himself. He can pass [his knowledge] on to me. I try my best to listen – but I’m not a great listener sometimes.”
The Damm has broken through
22-year-old Martin Damm records his third Top 100 win to upset the No.7 seed Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 6-4! #OpenOccitanie26 pic.twitter.com/YbMl3ECEPE
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 3, 2026
After saving a match point in his second-round qualifying draw victory over No. 215 Clement Tabur of France to advance to the main draw, Damm was impressive against the 52nd-ranked Hurkacz on Tuesday. The lefty withstood 14 aces from the Polish star and fired 13 aces of his own; won 73 percent (32 of 44) first-serve points and saved the only break point he faced from Hurkacz. He outpointed his opponent 74-69. Damm secured the victory with an inside-out forehand winner on match point, his 33rd winner of the match.
“It was key for me to keep holding my serve,” Damm said. “Obviously, Hubi is a tall opponent. I knew it would come down to a few points. The [first-set] tie-break was a little bit up and down for both of us, but I’m super happy I was able to win it. It gave me confidence for the second set.
“In the second set, I didn’t want him to get his rhythm and for him to start thinking he could win this match.”
Damm’s upset of Hurkacz, which was the Polish No. 1’s first loss to a player outside the Top 100 in three years, improved his win-loss record in all competitions this season to 7-3. Hurkacz is now 0-3 lifetime in Montpellier going back to 2019.
“I’m excited. This has already been a great week for me,” said Damm, who is 3-0 this week playing in the Sud de France Arena. “I plan on continuing to play this great level. Of course, I’m looking forward to playing on this great court and in front of great fans.”
In Wednesday’s second round, Damm will face Roberto Bautista Agut. The 89th-ranked Spaniard advanced with a three-set win over No. 119 Christopher O’Connell of Australia on Monday night.
Humbert remains undefeated against van de Zandschulp
No. 5 seed Ugo Humbert of France secured his fifth-straight win over No. 67 Botic van de Zandschulp of the Netherlands, 6-3, 6-4, in 72 minutes on Court Patrice Dominguez to advance to the second round against fellow Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, ranked 70th.
The 38th-ranked French No. 3, who reached the Montpellier quarterfinals in 2021, hit a zooming ace that went straight up the middle of the court on his first match point. Humbert finished off the victory with nine aces. He hit 18 winners, saved all three break points he faced from van de Zandschulp and broke the Dutchman twice in three times. Humbert outpointed his opponent 57-48.
Humbert storms through
Ugo Humbert keeps his winning streak alive against van de Zandschulp, their record now stands at 5-0!#OpenOccitanie26 pic.twitter.com/uFlZFCboC4
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 3, 2026
It’s no surprise that Humbert enjoys playing on his home soil – especially indoors – where he’s on a 19-1 run, including three titles: 2023 Metz, 2024 Marseille and 2025 Marseille. He’s also reached the Rolex Paris Masters final in 2024.
“I’m always happy to be back in France,” Humbert, a native of Metz, said during his on-court interview. “The feeling of play in France indoors is so good. I’m super happy to be back.”
Fils wins first match after returning from back injury
Physically, Frenchman Arthur Fils looked fit. He even sported a new look that was a throwback to mid-1970s Arthur Ashe with a big Afro hairdo. Tennis-wise, it’s as if the 21-year-old World No. 42 had not been away from the ATP Tour for six months, since August 1, 2025 in Toronto, while recovering from a stress fracture in his lower back (L5 vertabra). His injury and recovery from it forced him to miss the 2025 US Open and this year’s Australian Open.
In Tuesday evening’s featured match, Fils gave a quality effort in his return to the ATP Tour as he fought past fellow Frenchman, No. 56 Valentin Royer, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (4), 6-2, in two hours and 32 minutes on Court Patrice Dominguez to advance to the second round.
King Arthur
Arthur Fils returns from injury, defeating Valentin Royer to secure his first win in 7 months!#OpenOccitanie26 pic.twitter.com/L0eNKpxkSi
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) February 3, 2026
“It was a tough match,” Fils said during his on-court interview. “He is a great opponent and he put me under pressure … made me run a lot, but I’m very happy to win.”
A semifinalist in Montpellier three years ago, Fils won his 50th career match on a hard court. In doing so, he’s become the third-youngest Frenchman to achieve the 50-win plateau, behind Fabrice Santoro and Richard Gasquet.
Against Royer, Fils delivered 14 aces and won 83 percent (55 of 66) of his first-serve points. He faced just one break point on his serve and he converted three of eight break-point chances. Fils outpointed Royer 107-102.
Next, Fils will face 174th-ranked lucky loser Ugo Blanchet of France, who eliminated Italian qualifier Andreas Vavassori, ranked No. 282, 6-4, 6-3, in an hour and 19 minutes in the final match of Tuesday’s evening session.
Around Sud de France Arena
• No. 100 Pablo Carreño Busta of Spain rallied to beat 69th-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), in two hours and seven minutes on Court 1 to advance to the second round against No. 4 seed Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands, ranked 29th. Carreño Busta withstood 15 aces from Kecmanovic and converted three of seven break points.
• French qualifier Titouan Droguet, ranked No. 150, defeated 125th-ranked Jan Choinski of Great Britain, 6-2, 7-6 (2), in one hour and 24 minutes on Court 1 to move on to the second round against tomorrow’s winner between No. 8 seed Aleksandar Kovacevic of the United States and 552nd-ranked qualifier Moise Kouame of France. Droguet struck 14 aces and saved both break points he faced from Choinski. He outpointed his opponent 81-61.
• In doubles, No. 4 seeds Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti of France advanced to the quarterfinals over Spain’s Inigo Cervantes and Pedro Martinez, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 10-6, in an hour and 53 minutes on Court Patrice Dominguez.
Also, alternates Clement Chidekh and Arthur Redmond of France advanced with a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (1) win over Ray Ho of Taiwan and Hendrik Jebens of Germany, in one hour and 40 minutes on Court 1. Chidekh and Redmond replaced injured Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (eye) of France and Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland.
Czech pair Tomas Machac and Matej Vogel moved into the last eight with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Vasil Kirov of the United States and Bart Stevens of the Netherlands in 61 minutes on Court 1.
Tuesday’s Open Occitanie results
Wednesday’s Open Occitanie order of play
By the numbers
Andrea Vavassori of Italy is better known as one of the world’s best doubles players. Ranked as high as World No. 6, he and partner Simone Bolelli have qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals the past two seasons and have been finalists in three Grand Slams.
However, not wanting to be labeled as just a “doubles specialist,” Vavassori has recently started entering more events in singles, where he’s currently ranked 282nd. He qualified for the singles main draw after winning a pair of matches over seeded players, Roberto Carballes Baena of Spain and Hugo Grenier of France.
On Tuesday, Vavassori was set to face 174th-ranked lucky loser Ugo Blanchet of France. A victory by Vavassori would make him the lowest-ranked player to earn a main draw in event history, breaking the record set by then-No. 259 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2022.
“Quotable …”
“It’s never easy to see a friend [injured]. It’s never easy to see this.”
– Arthur Gea of France, during his on-court interview Monday evening after his opponent, 57th-ranked Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, was forced to retire just 38 minutes into their first-round match due to an eye injury.
With the 168th-ranked wild card Gea ahead 5-3 (30-0) in the first set, he hit a passing shot that Mpetshi Perricard attempted to hit a backhand volley. However, the ball freakishly ricocheted from Mpetshi Perricard’s racquet and hit him flush in the left eye. He immediately fell to his knees and, soon after, took a medical timeout.
Gea and Mpetshi Perricard played only one more point. Then, after leaving the court for treatment, Mpetshi Perricard returned to Court Patrice Dominguez and retired from the match.
