We already have the poster for the final of the Paris Masters 2024. On the one hand, Alexander Zverev, taking advantage of the last minute loss of Jannik Sinner for his part of the draw. In front of him he will have the surprise and the one who will be a great favorite of the fans and will have all the support of the public, Ugo Humbert. The Frenchman defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16 along the way.
The world number 18 has also become the first local player to reach the Paris-Bercy final in 12 years and is the surprise of the tournament. In the semifinals, she overcame a tense duel against Karen Khachanov, coming back from a set down to reach her first Masters 1000 final.
Zverev vs Humbert: experience against local hope
Despite not having taken the spotlight like Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz throughout the season, Zverev has maintained his position in the top 3. His progression to the final of the Paris Masters ensures his fourth final and allows him to surpass Alcaraz, returning to his best ranking as number 2 in the world, just behind Sinner. The German has achieved 65 victories, equaling the Italian, and will fight on Sunday for his second Masters 1000 title of the season and the seventh of his career.
Along the way, Zverev has defeated tough rivals: Tallon Griekspoor in his debut, followed by Arthur Fils (one of the best of the season). In the quarterfinals, he faced Stefanos Tsitsipas and won in straight sets, reducing his head-to-head to 6-10 against the Greek. In the semifinals he beat the 2022 champion, Holger Rune, also in straight sets.
For the Frenchman Humbert, he has restored hope to the locals of seeing one of their own in the final. He is the first French finalist since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lost to Roger Federer in 2011, while the last local champion was Tsonga himself in 2008, defeating David Nalbandian.
Humbert has defeated Carlos Alcaraz, four-time Grand Slam champion, an unexpected victory that has filled him with confidence for the next rounds. Against Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals, she had no problems finishing in straight sets, while in the semifinals, she staged a great comeback against Karen Khachanov in a tense match, securing her first Masters 1000 final.
Although experience and favoritism are on Zverev’s side, Humbert’s victory over Alcaraz showed that the conditions in Paris are ideal for the Frenchman. The support of the home crowd has also been significant for the 26-year-old, and it remains to be seen how he will handle the pressure in the decisive phases. So far, the confrontation between the two is 1-1, with Zverev winning in their last meeting in the same tournament a year ago.
✨ Zverev 🏆 Humbert ✨
A clash for a maiden Rolex Paris Masters title.
