World number two Carlos Alcaraz acknowledged he “was not up to the level” of Ugo Humbert after suffering a surprising defeat in the third round of the Paris Masters. The 18th-ranked Frenchman defeated the Spanish superstar 6-1, 3-6, 7-5, marking his first victory over Alcaraz after two previous losses earlier in 2024.
Alcaraz faced a challenging start, falling behind 0-5 in the opening set before finally getting on the board. Reflecting on the match, he said, “It was a very intense match. I started with some doubts about my game. Against a player who attacks whenever he can, who hits very aggressively at the slightest opportunity, it wasn’t easy to get into the match.” He praised Humbert’s performance, stating, “I was not up to the level he displayed. Ugo’s performance was really high. The way he hits the ball is incredible.”
Humbert, who has claimed titles in Marseille and Dubai this year, expressed pride in his achievement, saying, “It was a crazy match, a crazy atmosphere.”
Alcaraz’s Rollercoaster Season
The 21-year-old Alcaraz has had a tumultuous second half of the season since his loss to Novak Djokovic in the Paris Olympics final. His struggles included a second-round exit at the US Open against 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp, a defeat to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the Beijing final, and a quarter-final loss to world number 33 Tomas Machac at the Shanghai Masters.
With this defeat, Humbert will face Australia’s Jordan Thompson in the quest for a spot in the Paris Masters semi-finals. The match statistics showed Humbert narrowly edging Alcaraz in winners, 28 to 23, while both players recorded 38 unforced errors.
De Minaur’s ATP Finals Bid Strengthened
Alex de Minaur’s aspiration to become the first Australian in 20 years to reach the ATP Tour Finals was bolstered when he defeated Jack Draper 5-7, 6-2, 6-3. This victory propelled De Minaur into the eighth and final qualifying spot for the year-end event in Turin. “I’m going to put my body on the line, try my hardest, show my opponent that I can do that all day,” he said, emphasizing the need for intensity against a confident opponent like Draper.
De Minaur’s next challenge is 13th-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark, who advanced by defeating French lucky loser Arthur Cazaux 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Tsitsipas Keeps Turin Hopes Alive
Stefanos Tsitsipas maintained his slim chances of qualifying for the ATP Tour Finals by battling back from a set down to defeat Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (1-7), 6-4, 6-2. “Starting the second set, I felt like a bull,” the 26-year-old Greek remarked, indicating his determination as he seeks a deep run in Paris to enhance his chances for Turin.
Next, Tsitsipas faces world number three Alexander Zverev, who advanced by defeating Arthur Fils 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Zverev demonstrated resilience, firing 16 aces and saving three break points while serving for the match at 5-3. This quarter-final marks Zverev’s 31st Masters appearance, and he holds a 10-5 advantage over Tsitsipas in their head-to-head matchups.
Khachanov Advances
In other action, 2018 champion Karen Khachanov progressed past Alexei Popyrin with a score of 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 and will face either Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria or France’s Arthur Rinderknech in the next round.
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