Aleksandar Kovacevic defeated Moise Kouame 6-7 6-2 6-2 in the first round of the ATP 250 event at Montpellier on hard court. As the pre-match favourite at odds of 1.41, Kovacevic delivered as expected despite a competitive opening set that went to a tiebreak. After losing that opener, the American regrouped decisively, taking the second and third sets with identical 6-2 scorelines to secure a straightforward victory. Kouame, priced at 2.82, could not sustain the form that earned him a set and faded considerably in the latter stages. The result keeps Kovacevic's campaign in the French city on track as he targets deeper progress.