Pierre Hugues Herbert defeated Sergiy Stakhovsky 6–2, 7–5 in the first round of the ATP 250 event in Montpellier on hard court, confirming his status as pre-match favourite with odds of 1.35 to Stakhovsky's 3.47. Herbert controlled the opening set decisively, then consolidated his advantage in a tighter second frame to secure passage to the next round. The Frenchman's composed performance underlined his credentials on the indoor hard courts where he has traditionally performed well early in the season. Herbert's victory maintains his momentum heading into the latter stages of the Australian summer swing.