Noumea Ch F: Arthur Cazaux [5] def. Enzo Couacaud 6-1, 6-1 Match Stats

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Cazaux did what he had to do since the flow was in his racquet. His intuitive point construction helped him to press Couacaud's serve even further, resulting in more erratic service games as a result of limited movement as well. Even though Couacaud had 2 break points, he was unable to convert them: instead, Cazaux dominated the flow by converting 5 out of 7 break points he had.

This was further confirmed through their service games. Cazaux had an almost perfect first serve winning percentage at 91%, firing twice more aces than Couacaud (10 to 5) in the process. However, the injury might have affected Couacaud's second serve, since he only won 7% points from there despite only double-faulting twice, overwhelmingly 50% lesser than Cazaux, who tried to maintain his service game consistency.

This marked Cazaux's first Challenger title this year and his third Challenger title overall, propelling his rank to around 108, 8 lines away from the Top 100. On the other hand, while Couacaud is now estimated to rank at 187 after the runner-up, whether or not he could be ready for the Australian Open qualification rounds remained a question, because health comes first. On to the Australian Open qualifying rounds for Couacaud, except Cazaux received a wild card to the main draw (FFT path).

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It all became apparent in the second set. Couacaud had a break point once right in the first game of this set, but Cazaux still managed to hold his service game to 1-0. The moment did not come until 3 games later, where Cazaux ended up breaking to 3-1 due to Couacaud's volley misfire, preceded by a forehand misfire as well for the break point. By then, Couacaud asked for a medical timeout, which might have led to thoughts that all the tennis this week took a toll on his physicality.

Cazaux kept cruising by firing his reflexive volley winner to the open court for an important equalizer, where he ended up breaking again to 5-1. He then had the chance to serve for the match, where he sealed the second set breadstick with his final volley to Couacaud's forehand error (6-1), thus securing him his first title of the year.

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Meanwhile, in Noumea...

Fifth seed Arthur Cazaux, who yesterday defeated Harold Mayot 7-6(5), 7-6(4) in the semifinals, advanced to his first Challenger final of the year, where he faced Enzo Couacaud, who stunned Gijs Brouwer 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 earlier that day. Both players at their peaks should have been a fun watch, especially when their offensive capabilities were tested, but this might not be the case for today.

Even one game in, Cazaux's forehand to Couacaud's failed response resulted in his gate being opened before Cazaux ended up breaking to 2-1 at the cost of Couacaud's forehand errors. Cazaux then consolidated his lead to 3-1 before Couacaud's failed no-look volley came right after Cazaux's final volley several points the latter before he doubled the break (4-1).

Without any further ado, Couacaud held his service game to 5-1 before Couacaud served for the set. However, Couacaud's +1 rushes did not help, including a forehand rush when he had to face a break point, thus Cazaux snatched the first set 6-1 to open his bakery in Noumea.

Noumea Ch SF: Arthur Cazaux [5] def. Harold Mayot 7-6(5), 7-6(4) Match Stats

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The emphasis to the return games under pressure could possibly be one of the factors why Cazaux stood out by the end of the match. While neither player could convert any break points (with Cazaux having 5 break points than Mayot's 0), it appeared that Cazaux's intuitive point construction, which often result in some remarkable down-the-line winners (or volleys), helped to press Mayot's serves further. This was further evident in the tie-breaker despite the hiccups, where Cazaux's pacing and aggression started to bother Mayot, thus the latter's double fault toward the end of the second set as a result of such pressure.

It turned out that despite the margin, there is a tiny difference between both players' service games. Cazaux's service games might have been risky considering he scored 7 more aces than Mayot, thus accounted for his 16% more winning percentage through his first serves, but despite double-faulting just once to Mayot's 5, the latter still won 3% more points from the second serves with 68%. This was a result of the aforementioned return games' importance, which might have affected their service game as a whole, thus every player turned out to have their own strengths.

An all-French final will feature in tomorrow's finals as Cazaux will face Enzo Couacaud, who earlier defeated Gijs Brouwer 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-4. Knowing both players' pacing, it is all to play for, and it will be a part of a possible rollercoaster ride. By then, we could be left guessing, with the more intuitive and clutch one can stand out in the match. Could be a tough but fun one!

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Two consecutive holds later, after surviving a break point earlier in this set, Cazaux forced a deuce thanks to his backhand down-the-line winner before Mayot held his service game to 2-1. To make it even special, in the fifth game, Cazaux started the game with an intuitive volley to complete his defensive position in hopes to break, but to no avail even if he had the chance as Mayot held his service game to 3-2 afterward.

A fun point happened in the eleventh game when Mayot fired the final volley to Cazaux's beseated lob, but the lob went out instead for the former's 2-point lead before the 6-5 hold. The tie-breaker then became inevitable after Cazaux's hold, where Cazaux had his moment thanks to his forehand winner (3-2), but missed his forehand a point later (3-3). Two points later, Mayot double-faulted, which resulted in Cazaux's mini-break lead (5-3) right before the match point. Even if Mayot held his service game to 6-4 to save one of the match points (made at the cost of his backhand error), Cazaux served it out to seal the second set 7-6(4) to secure his spot in the finals.

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Meanwhile, in Noumea...

Closing the night in the Noumea Challenger concurrently with the last Canberra match was the French derby between fifth seed Arthur Cazaux, who convincingly stunned fourth seed Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-2, and Harold Mayot, who defeated eighth seed Jesper de Jong 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in another close clash earlier that day. In a rematch of the Australian Open Junior Boys' Singles final 2020, this match turned out to be a close encounter, with pressure points being the most important element tested during the match alongside point construction.

Speaking of point construction, this carried Cazaux by a lot in this match, putting Mayot into pressure several times. Interestingly, Cazaux started the match by having 3 break points right in the second game, but Mayot managed to hold his service game to 1-1 afterward. Cazaux then proceeded to hold his service game with a notable forehand down-the-line winner to 3-2, which might be the start of the more offensive version of him as this match went by.

Cazaux had another chance to break in the eighth game, also with another forehand pass, but Mayot still managed to hold his service game to 4-4. It took four straight holds until the tie-break became inevitable, where the momentum swing started from Mayot's +1 forehand error for the earlier mini-break foiled by Cazaux's backhand error several points later, before Mayot's backhand error caused the creation of Cazaux's set point before its immediate conversion for the latter to take the first set 7-6(5).

Noumea Ch QF: Arthur Cazaux [5] def. Benoit Paire [4] 6-2, 6-1 Match Stats

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This match ended up to be a complete demolition, which was started by Paire being overwhelmed by the pace A. Cazaux injected. Aided by A. Cazaux's serves too, he managed to dominate the flow, leaving a lesser to no room for Paire to properly respond, where the latter found to "head out" for A. Cazaux's second break as a result of his constant unforced errors. As a result, Paire had no chance to break or could not create one, while A. Cazaux had 11 chances to break, converting 4 of them at the end.

This was also reflected by their service games. A. Cazaux stood out through his first serves by 11%, winning 81% more points from his first serves and fired 4 more aces than Paire throughout the whole match. On the other hand, second serves remained Paire's most vulnerable aspect, considering he double-faulted 7 times (6 more times than A. Cazaux), winning only 30% points from there in comparison to A. Cazaux's 66%, showing the latter's consistency and control at the end of the day.

In the semifinals, A. Cazaux will face Harold Mayot, who earlier defeated eighth seed Jesper de Jong 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 in a classic encounter. Knowing both players, pacing would remain an important key to balance their serves, especially from the way one would control the rally from their shots. This could be a possibly dynamic match when both players are on, could be exciting to see how things turn out on their peaks!

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The second set turned out to be a one-way traffic once A. Cazaux dialed in again, just like the first set. This time, Paire's chance was a break point right in the first game of the second set several moments after his forehand winner, but A. Cazaux still managed to hold his service game to 1-0 thanks to his reliable serves. Then, he still dominated the flow by casually responding to Paire's drop shots with a backhand winner, opening the gate before he broke to 2-0. A. Cazaux followed this up by quickly consolidating to 3-0.

It all went downhill for Paire ever since. After two consecutive holds, Paire had a failed slice that created one of A. Cazaux's break point before it was converted several moments later due to Paire's backhand being fired too wide, likely losing the plot afterward. As a result, A. Cazaux had the opportunity to serve for the second set breadstick, and he ultimately baked it at the end of the day (6-1) to secure his semifinal spot.

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Closing the day in the Noumea Challenger's singles quarterfinals is the match between fifth seed Arthur Cazaux, who overcame Patrick Kypson 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 in a rollercoaster battle, and fourth seed Benoit Paire, who defeated Colin Sinclair in a different rollercoaster encounter 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Knowing both players, this match could have been intriguing to see how their level and pace hung on, but the flow depended on Paire's day.

Initially, Paire could still keep up with the pace A. Cazaux injected until the former still produced a forehand down-the-line winner to hold his serve earlier in the match. However, this pace might have been built for A. Cazaux's dynamic game, with his intuitive volley outhitting Paire's forehand side, thus setting the former a point ahead before he broke to 4-2. A. Cazaux then consolidated the lead to 5-2.

Subsequently, things might have appeared off for Paire. A game point was fumbled, and A. Cazaux's forehand return ace created his first set point before being foiled. Paire had his chances to hold, one of which was also averted thanks to A. Cazaux's forehand winner. At the end of the day, Paire's double fault sealed the set for A. Cazaux, 6-2 for his taking to be one set away from the semifinals.