Nicolas Escude defeated Albert Costa 6-1 3-6 6-3 in the Paris Masters round of 32 on hard. The result followed the form book — Nicolas Escude came in leading the head-to-head 2–1, defending last year's round of 64. Nicolas Escude extended the head-to-head to 3–1.
| Date | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-02-17 | Rotterdam | R32 | hard | Nicolas Escude | 6-3 6-3 |
| 2002-09-30 | Moscow | R32 | hard | Nicolas Escude | 7-5 3-6 6-1 |
| 2001-05-14 | Hamburg Masters | R16 | clay | Albert Costa | 6-3 6-0 |
Averages from each player's recent completed matches (20 vs 20). ATP, WTA & Challenger.