The last few months have undoubtedly been the most productive and successful phase of Arthur Cazaux’s career. If he can maintain this level, particularly his fitness, and take advantage of opportunities that come at home later in the year, he has a strong chance of closing the season on a high note, potentially breaking into the top 50.
He gained significant momentum during the July clay swing, reaching at least the semifinals in back-to-back events in Gstaad and Kitzbühel. He has continued that form on the Asian swing, making the round of 16 in both Hangzhou and Beijing. More encouraging than the results is that he has been able to compete in physically demanding matches over consecutive weeks, a very positive sign for a talent whose progress has long been limited by fitness issues.
Cazaux made his Masters main-draw debut at Shanghai in 2024, winning his first match by defeating former world No. 3 Marin Cilic in straight sets. Overall, he has made three main-draw appearances in Masters events in his young career and holds a 2-1 record in first-round matches.
Pedro Martinez has had some surprising results this year to be proud of, including reaching the quarterfinals on indoor hard courts in Rotterdam and recording two wins over Holger Rune, in Rotterdam and recently in Davis Cup. Unfortunately, recurring fitness issues, which began during the European clay swing, have prevented him from improving his overall season. Even his most recent match at the Bad Waltersdorf Challenger, just days after the Davis Cup, ended in retirement.
The Spaniard has not achieved much during this phase of the season, which is unsurprising given his heavy reliance on clay. However, this works in his favor now, as these weeks give him an opportunity to earn wins and improve a ranking that has suffered this year. He made his Shanghai Masters debut in 2024, losing in the first round to Jakub Mensik.
Head-to-head: Arthur Cazaux leads 1-0. Cazaux won their previous meeting on clay in Madrid two years ago, and playing on hard courts only increases his chances against Pedro Martinez. The only factor that could potentially hold him back is his fitness, which has always been a concern and is especially relevant now after playing a lot of tennis over the past two weeks.
