Yevgeny Kafelnikov defeated Nicolas Lapentti 6-3 7-6 in the Paris Masters round of 32 on hard. The upset overturned the form book — Nicolas Lapentti came in leading the head-to-head 1–0, defending last year's round of 16, but Yevgeny Kafelnikov had been the form player, winning 3 of their last 5 on hard. Yevgeny Kafelnikov claimed a first win over Nicolas Lapentti in two meetings, narrowing the head-to-head to 1–1.
| Date | Tournament | Round | Surface | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998-07-27 | Kitzbuhel | R16 | clay | Nicolas Lapentti | 6-4 6-1 |
Averages from each player's recent completed matches (20 vs 20). ATP, WTA & Challenger.