Valentin Royer and Marco Cecchinato will square off in the semifinal of the Kigali 1 Challenger for the 1st time in their career. They are scheduled to compete on Friday at 1:30 pm on CENTRE COURT. In this post, we analyze their head to head performance and prediction.
Prediction, odds and live streaming
The pick for Tennis Tonic is Valentin Royer who should win in 2 sets.
As per the initial odds, Valentin Royer is the pick to win this match.
Valentin Royer -> 1.38
Marco Cecchinato -> 2.85
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Prediction and head to head Valentin Royer vs. Marco Cecchinato
There is no head to head record between Valentin Royer and Marco Cecchinato since this will be the first time that they will clash against each other in the main tour.
Valentin Royer
| Year | Total | Hard | Clay | I.hard | Grass | Carpet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61-31 | 16-8 | 31-11 | 10-10 | 4-2 | 0-0 |
| 2024 | 48-30 | 6-5 | 32-13 | 10-11 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
| 2023 | 51-20 | 24-7 | 22-10 | 5-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 2022 | 51-25 | 8-4 | 30-15 | 13-6 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 2021 | 24-17 | 1-2 | 13-8 | 10-7 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Ranked no. 183, Royer reached the semifinal after defeating Maxime Chazal 6-3 6-4, Guy Den Ouden 4-6 6-1 7-6(4) and Filip Cristian Jianu 6-7(4) 7-6(4) 7-6(3).
In the quarter against Cristian Jianu, Royer recovered from a 1-set down deficit before winning (6-74 7-64 7-63). During the match, Royer scored 116 points vs Cristian Jianu’s 108. Royer was extremely aggressive to blast 61 winners.
Talking about the service games, Royer made 13 aces and he committed only 5 double faults. Overall, Valentin Royer was exceptionally efficient on serve to win 79% (61/77) of his 1st serve and 67% (22/33) on the second serve. However, this didn’t prevent his to concede the serve once. The French player broke Cristian Jianu once after converting 50% of his break points (1/2).
Overall Performance in this tournament
The French player has lost 2 set in this competition to win 54% of the points he played.
Royer has a solid win-loss record in the last 8 years having won 64% of his matches (217-121). 3-0 on clay in 2025. Regarding his performance on the same surface of this tournament, Royer has an aggregate107-50 record in the last 8 years on clay.
The French player best result of the current season was getting to the semifinal in the Lille Challenger.
Royer has a composed 9-5 win-loss record in 2025, 3-0 on clay (See FULL STATS).
Previously in the Kigali 1 Challenger
The French player has never competed in this tournament before.
Marco Cecchinato
| Year | Total | Hard | Clay | I.hard | Grass | Carpet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39-34 | 0-0 | 39-34 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 2024 | 26-25 | 0-2 | 26-23 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 2023 | 13-23 | 1-4 | 12-17 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0-0 |
| 2022 | 43-33 | 0-3 | 43-30 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| 2021 | 32-27 | 1-5 | 31-19 | 0-2 | 0-1 | 0-0 |
Ranked no. 426, the Italian got to the semifinal after beating Geoffrey Blancaneaux 6-4 6-4, Carlos Taberner 7-6(6) 7-5 and Lukas Neumayer 6-3 6-7(7) 7-5.
In the quarter, Marco defeated Neumayer (6-3 6-77 7-5). During the match Cecchinato scored 107 points vs Neumayer’s 105. Marco was exceptionally aggressive to blast 43 winners.
About the serving games, Cecchinato managed to score 2 aces and he committed only 4 double faults. Marco Cecchinato lost the serve 4 times and he saved 4 break points. Furthermore, Cecchinato put 64% of his first serves in, winning 64% (43/67) of the points behind his 1st serve and 53% (20/38) on the 2nd serve. The Italian broke Neumayer 6 times after converting 43% of his break points (6/14).
Overall Performance in this tournament
Marco has conceded 1 set in the tournament to win 52% of the points he played.
Marco has an aggregate 8-5 win-loss record in 2025, 8-5 on clay (See FULL STATS).
H2H Performance in the tournament (main draw)
Matches, sets, games and points
| Points | Royer | Cecchinato |
|---|---|---|
| Match played | 3 | 3 |
| Tot Set | 8 | 7 |
| Tot Games | 88 | 79 |
| Pts | 276-237 | 268-247 |
| Total Points | 513 | 515 |
| Winners | 127 | 114 |
| %Winners | 46% | 43% |
Both Royer and Cecchinato played 3 matches. Both players lost a set in the event. Valentin Royer conceded 2 sets, while Marco Cecchinato dropped 1 set. Royer has played 1 set more than Cecchinato (8 vs 7). Therefore, Royer played 9 games more than Cecchinato. The French player scored 127 winners (46% of the total points). On the other side, The Italian fired 114 winners (43%).
Serve Performance
| Serve | Royer | Cecchinato |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 19 | 12 |
| Avg per match | 6.3 | 4 |
| 1st in | 161/248 | 165/261 |
| %1st in | 65% | 63% |
| 1st pts | 127/161 | 114/165 |
| %1st pts | 79% | 69% |
| 2nd pts | 56/87 | 47/96 |
| %2nd pts | 64% | 49% |
Royer fired 19 aces (6.3 per match). Cecchinato blasted 12 aces (4 per match). Royer won 79% points behind his first serve. He had a solid display on his second serve to win 64% of the points. On the other side, Cecchinato won 69% of the points on his first serve. He had a solid display on his second serve to win 49% of the points.
How they played the important points
| Breaks | Royer | Cecchinato |
|---|---|---|
| Won | 7 | 14 |
| Converted | 7/16 | 14/34 |
| % Converted | 44% | 41% |
| Conceded | 8 | 26 |
| Saved | 4 | 17 |
| % Saved | 50% | 65% |
| Times Broken | 4 | 9 |
Royer broke his opponents 7 times with a 44% conversion rate. Royer lost his serve 4 times and he saved 50% of the break points that he conceded. The Italian broke his opponents 14 times with a 41% conversion rate. Cecchinato conceded his serve 9 times and he saved 65% of the break points that he conceded.
| Royer | |||||
| R1 Chazal |
R2 Den |
1/4 Cristian |
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 6-3 6-4 | 4-6 6-1 7-64 | 6-74 7-64 7-63 | ||
| Tot Set | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | |
| Tot Games | 19 | 30 | 39 | 88 | |
| pts | 64-45 | 96-84 | 116-108 | 276-237 | |
| Total points | 109 | 180 | 224 | 513 | |
| Winners | 26 | 40 | 61 | 127 | |
| %Winners | 41% | 42% | 53% | 46% | |
| SERVE | |||||
| Aces | 4 | 2 | 13 | 19 | |
| Double Faults | 2 | 4 | 5 | 11 | |
| 1st in | 31/50 | 53/88 | 77/110 | 161/248 | |
| % 1st in | 62% | 60% | 70% | 65% | |
| 1st pts | 26/31 | 40/53 | 61/77 | 127/161 | |
| % 1st pts | 84% | 75% | 79% | 79% | |
| 2nd pts | 12/19 | 22/35 | 22/33 | 56/87 | |
| % 2nd pts | 63% | 63% | 67% | 64% | |
| Breaks | |||||
| Won | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | |
| Converted | 3/7 | 3/7 | 1/2 | 7/16 | |
| Converted % | 43% | 43% | 50% | 44% | |
| Conceded | 1 | 5 | 2 | 8 | |
| Saved | 0/1 | 3/5 | 1/2 | 4 | |
| Saved % | 0% | 60% | 50% | 37% | |
| Times Broken | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | |
| Cecchinato | |||||
| R1 Blancaneaux |
R2 Taberner |
1/4 Neumayer |
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Score | 6-4 6-4 | 7-66 7-5 | 6-3 6-77 7-5 | ||
| Tot Set | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | |
| Tot Games | 20 | 25 | 34 | 79 | |
| pts | 72-61 | 89-81 | 107-105 | 268-247 | |
| Total points | 133 | 170 | 212 | 515 | |
| Winners | 37 | 34 | 43 | 114 | |
| %Winners | 51% | 38% | 40% | 43% | |
| SERVE | |||||
| Aces | 6 | 4 | 2 | 12 | |
| Double Faults | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | |
| 1st in | 45/70 | 53/86 | 67/105 | 165/261 | |
| % 1st in | 64% | 62% | 64% | 63% | |
| 1st pts | 37/45 | 34/53 | 43/67 | 114/165 | |
| % 1st pts | 82% | 64% | 64% | 69% | |
| 2nd pts | 13/25 | 14/33 | 20/38 | 47/96 | |
| % 2nd pts | 52% | 42% | 53% | 49% | |
| Breaks | |||||
| Won | 2 | 6 | 6 | 14 | |
| Converted | 2/8 | 6/12 | 6/14 | 14/34 | |
| Converted % | 25% | 50% | 43% | 41% | |
| Conceded | 8 | 10 | 8 | 26 | |
| Saved | 8/8 | 5/10 | 4/8 | 17 | |
| Saved % | 100% | 50% | 50% | 67% | |
| Times Broken | 0 | 5 | 4 | 9 | |
Head 2 Head
LLLWLWLWLW
LWLLWWWWLL Tennis Scores in Kigali 1 Challenger
- Andrej MartinMartin – Mathys ErhardErhard (6-2 6-4) – See score progression
- Maximilian NeuchristNeuchrist – Max HoukesHoukes (6-4 5-7 7-65) – See score progression
- Valentin RoyerRoyer – Filip Cristian JianuCristian Jianu (6-74 7-64 7-63) – See score progression
- Marco CecchinatoCecchinato – Lukas NeumayerNeumayer (6-3 6-77 7-5) – See score progression
- Andrej MartinMartin – Mathys ErhardErhard (6-2 6-4) – See score progression
- Marco CecchinatoCecchinato – Lukas NeumayerNeumayer (6-3 6-7(7) 7-5) – See score progression
Upcoming matches in the draw
- Andrej MartinMartin – Maximilian NeuchristNeuchrist (0-0) – H2H and prediction
- Valentin RoyerRoyer – Marco CecchinatoCecchinato (0-0) – H2H and prediction
