Hugo Grenier has been nowhere near his best recently, struggling even to pick up wins at Challenger level since returning from his injury break. In this kind of form, he could be vulnerable if Roman Safiullin finds his rhythm and produces his best tennis.
Safiullin Targets A Deep Run Before The US Open
- Roman Safiullin has a 1–2 record in opening-round matches at Winston-Salem.
- He has a 19–4 record against lower-ranked opponents this year.
- Hugo Grenier has won only three main-draw matches across 17 tournaments in 2026.
- He has a 2–8 record against higher-ranked opponents this year.
HTH - Hugo Grenier leads 2-1
| Year | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tel Aviv | 1R | Hard | Roman Safiullin | 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 2020 | Prague 3 Challenger | 1R | Clay | Hugo Grenier | 6-4, 7-6(4) |
| 2020 | Bangkok 3 Challenger | QF | Hard | Hugo Grenier | 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 |
Safiullin Looks to Continue His Ranking Revival
Roman Safiullin returned to tennis after a six-month injury layoff in February this year and dropped outside the Top 200 in the rankings. To regain momentum, he stepped down to Challenger events and produced notable results, including winning two titles.
He built on those performances by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon, his first run of multiple main-draw wins on tour since Miami 2025. That result helped him move closer to returning to the Top 100.
He has played in Winston-Salem three times before and has won only one main-draw match, reaching the second round in 2024.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Russia |
| Age | Born 07 August 1997 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 103 |
| Career High | No. 36 (08 January 2024) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 46 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 0 |
Grenier Looks to Turn His Season Around
Hugo Grenier has dealt with multiple fitness issues this year, which significantly affected his progress and pushed him outside the Top 250 in the rankings.
He has played 17 events this year and won only three main-draw matches so far, with 14 campaigns ending either in qualifying or the opening round, highlighting his struggles at this level.
He also has significant points to defend during the remainder of the season, making a positive result this week important as he looks to rebuild momentum and confidence.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Age | Born 23 March 1996 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 258 |
| Career High | No. 95 (12 September 2022) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 243 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 0 |