Arthur Cazaux defeated Luciano Darderi 7-6 7-6 in the first round of the Paris Masters on hard court, confirming his status as pre-match favourite with odds of 1.36 to Darderi's 3.08. The French player secured both sets in tiebreaks, demonstrating composure in the critical moments required to progress past the Italian. Cazaux's victory maintains his competitive standing at the Masters 1000 level as the tournament moves into later rounds.