Let's juggle the ball a bit here - Sonego and Humbert, quite the match-up. Once again we cross paths with the rivals who love to mess with the court balance. Their past encounters seem to favor Ugo Humbert slightly.
But you know, recently Humbert hasn't exactly been the showstopper. D. Shapovalov and G. Diallo gave him a bit of a run-around. Let's not forget the unexpected defeat by J. Fearnley. However, he performed well against N. Borges and D. Evans. Shows a bit of a checkerboard pattern, doesn't it?
Sonego, on the other hand, has recently shot off some sparks, defeating both F. Marozsan and J. Struff in straight love, though he succumbed to Zverev and Halys. The unseeded Italian might not stand tall as a tournament favorite, but hey, you never know when a wild card might just play out its trick. And we know Sonego's got some juice in him.
But there's more to this story: Humbert is seeded 4th in this tournament. We can't just ignore that. It's like ignoring a gorilla in a tuxedo - you just don't do it.
Given all this, our prediction is going to lean towards that seeded player who, despite his recent hiccups, manages to maintain an edge - thanks to the past duels and the tournament seed.
Albert’s Prediction: Humbert in 3 sets.