MONTPELLIER/WASHINGTON, February 6, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
With many of France’s top singles players such as Arthur Rinderknech, Andre Muller and Quentin Halys away from this week’s ATP 250 Open Occitanie, representing Les Bleus in the first round of the Davis Cup qualifiers at Le Portel, it’s provided many other French players – some of them not so well known – with an opportunity to shine in Montpellier this week. Among them is Arthur Gea. Arthur who?
Gea is one of four French hopefuls out of nine that began in the main draw, who have advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal round in this southern France town that is located 10 kilometers inland from the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The 21-year-old, 168th-ranked Gea received a wild card from tournament director Sebastian Grosjean and guess what? Gea has made the most of his opportunity – even if he’s yet to play a complete match through the first two rounds of the week-long indoor event.
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On Friday, Gea will face 37-year-old French veteran Adrian Mannarino, who took out fellow countryman Ugo Humbert, the 38th-ranked No. 5 seed on Wednesday. The other French players reaching the quarterfinals in Montpellier include: 150th-ranked qualifier Titouan Droguet and No. 6 seed Arthur Fils, ranked 42nd, who is playing in his 19th career quarterfinal – and first in 10 months –in his first tournament after coming back from a stress fracture injury to his lower back.
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This week in Montpellier, Gea has garnered his second Top 30 win (against No. 28 Tomas Machac) through playing focused and aggressive tennis, and it’s advanced him to the first ATP Tour quarterfinal of his career.
“I was playing really, really good [against Machac],” Gea said during his on-court interview Wednesday following his abbreviated second-round match against No. 3 seed Machac, which ended with the Czech star retiring in the second set due to a knee injury after Gea had won the opening set. “He was playing good, too; it was a good match. … I would have loved to finish the match.”
In the opening round Monday, the Carpentras, France native on court just 38 minutes and up a set when his opponent, fellow Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, retired with an eye injury. It happened near the end of the first set, after a backhand volley return ricocheted off Mpetshi Perricard’s racquet and hit him flush in the left eye.
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Gea has begun the 2026 season with an impressive 11-1 win-loss record across all levels. Recently, he won his first ATP Challenger Tour title in Noumea, New Caledonia. Then, coming from qualifying, Gea reached the second round of the Australian Open after defeating No. 19 Jiri Lehecka of Czechia in the first round. His lone loss came against Swiss star Stan Wawrinka in a fifth-set tie-break in the following round at Melbourne.
“I’ve gained a lot confidence from the beginning of the year; I’m playing really good,” Gea said during an on-court interview this week. “I wanted to come here to [improve] my level.
“I keep improving and it’s really good to see,” he added. “Even if I didn’t finish those matches. My level is up this year. That’s most important [to me].”
When Gea was asked about facing the 70th-ranked Mannarino, he smiled. “Not [an] easy [opponent], but it’s going to be a big fight,” he said. “I know him really well. I’m going to enjoy the match for sure.”
