Top tips for this week's men's tennis tournaments
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ready to play starring role indoors
Tournaments start Monday
ATP Open Sud de France
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The ATP's top ten players take a rest this week but there should still be some competitive action in France, Bulgaria and Argentina.
Lucas Pouille was a fine winner of the Open Sud de France in Montpellier last year and the Australian Open semi-finalist looks set to enjoy what could be his best season on the tour under the tutelage of Amelie Mauresmo.
Pouille could not get close to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals at Melbourne Park, but back in his homeland he could easily take the beating.
Mauresmo may have bigger ideas for Pouille, however, and the northern Frenchman is no certainty to hold on to the trophy.
David Goffin and Denis Shapovalov are in the opposite half of the draw to top seed Pouille, but with Goffin having been below his best and Shapovalov still with a lot to learn about the game, especially the indoor one, there looks a big chance for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to ruffle some feathers this week in a homeland tournament he has yet to shine in.
Tsonga has never made the final in Montpellier – or Lyon where the event used to be staged – but given the form and fitness he showed in January that record could be about to change.
Recommendation
J-W Tsonga
1pt 8-1 general
ATP Sofia Open
The best tournament of the week is the Sofia Open, where Mirza Basic defends the crown he won last year.
It's a surprise to see Gael Monfils competing in Bulgaria when there's an event taking place in his homeland, but with Paris Masters champion Karen Khachanov, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and Doha hero Roberto Bautista Agut occupying the top four seeding berths in Sofia, La Monf may do well to get a look-in anyway.
Tsitsipas could be popular with punters after his heroics down under, but the Greek starlet may find it tougher going indoors.
Bautista Agut, whose Melbourne loss to Tsitsipas is his only one this season, will gladly take advantage if Russians Khachanov and Medvedev come up short but that may not happen.
Khachanov merits respect as top seed but preference is for Medvedev to continue the fine start he has made this year.
He provided Djokovic with his toughest test on the Serb's way to regaining the Australian Open title and Medvedev, whose game looks in near tip-top order, can show his class in Bulgaria.
Recommendation
D Medvedev
1pt 7-1 Betfred
ATP Cordoba Open
The 2019 clay season, and the Golden Swing, opens with the inaugural Cordoba Open.
It's an open-looking event and there are question marks over seeds Fabio Fognini, Diego Schwartzman, Pablo Carreno Busta, Nicolas Jarry and Malek Jaziri.
Fellow seeds Marco Cecchinato and Argentinian duo Leonardo Mayer and Guido Pella could make their mark, but the homeland pair aren't much more likely to prosper than some of their less-heralded compatriots.
Last year's French Open semi-finalist Cecchinato could still be looking for more reward for his Paris efforts and the Umag and Budapest champ could be more fired-up than most this week.
Recommendation
M Cecchinato
1pt 10-1 Betfair, Paddy Power
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