A couple of tough first-round matchups in a strong Geneva field will take center stage on Monday. Alex Michelsen kicks off his week against Sebastian Baez, while Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard battles Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Sebastian Baez vs. Alex Michelsen
Michelsen and Baez will be going head-to-head for the first time in their careers when they meet in round one of the Geneva Open on Monday. This is an important time of year for Baez, because he has always done by far his best work on clay — although he did capture a hard-court ATP title three years ago in Winston-Salem. Six of the Argentine’s seven tour-level trophies are from clay events, but only one has come on the pre-French Open European swing. Baez has rarely been in peak form in April and May, and 2026 is no exception. The world No. 62 is a disappointing 4-6 in 10 dirt matches over the course of these two months, and he is 4-8 in his last 12 matches overall dating back to Indian Wells.
Fortunately for Baez, this could be a favorable first-round draw against Michelsen. The 21-year-old American is a clay-court novice who is 2-5 on the surface so far in 2026 — with wins only over world No. 124 Coleman Wong and world No. 81 Jan-Lennard Struff. This stretch even includes a first-round exit from a Challenger event at the hands of 312th-ranked Pol Martin Tiffin. Michelsen would almost certainly win this matchup on a hard court or grass, but it should go Baez’s way on the slow stuff.
Pick: Baez in 3
(WC) Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
It’s not often that you see Tsitsipas require a wild card into an ATP 250 tournament (especially one that is taking place right before a Grand Slam), but that is the case in Geneva. The 27-year-old has been in mediocre-at-best form this season and finds himself down at No. 82 in the rankings. Tsitsipas at least managed to reach round four in Madrid and pushed Casper Ruud to a third-set tiebreaker, but he lost right away in Rome to Tomas Machac.
Up first for the Greek on Monday is Mpetshi Perricard, whom he has never faced. The 6’7” Frenchman has been in even worse form in 2026, arriving in Geneva with a 6-10 record on the main tour. Mpetshi Perricard actually won a clay-court title in 2024 (Lyon), but nothing suggests that he will find success on clay again anytime soon. A slow surface should help Tsitsipas weather his opponent’s booming serve and secure a much-needed victory.
Pick: Tsitsipas in 2