Paris (AFP)

Ugo Humbert (34th) offered himself a prestigious victory against world No.6 and seed No.2 Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6 (7/4), 6-7 (6/8), 7-6 ( 7/3) after more than 3.15 hours of play on Tuesday to reach the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 in Paris.

This is the second victory in the young career of Humbert (22, 34th) against a top 10 player. He had his first at the expense of Daniil Medvedev, then world No. 5, in Hamburg at the end of September.

The Lorraine left-hander will face Marin Cilic, ex-World No. 3 today 43rd, for a place in the quarter-finals on Thursday.

Humbert first got three match points in the deciding game of the second set, 6 points to 3. To no avail.

He had to wait nearly an hour to give himself new opportunities to conclude, in the tie-break of the decisive set this time.

He finally won on his fifth match point.

"Physically, I'm dead. But I'm super happy, super proud of the match I made against one of the best players in the world," said Humbert, with his title in Antwerp ten days ago. , his second trophy of the season after Auckland in January.

"The scenario of the match is crazy. I had a tough match yesterday (against Ruud, Monday), physically it was not easy, I struggled to recover. I tensed at the end of the second set, I went through all the states but I gave everything until the last point and I seized my chance, I was opportunist. Mentally, it is a very good victory. The adventure continues ", he said.

In the first set, the young Lorrain did not panic when he found himself led 3 games to 0. He first came back to height, before standing up to the Greek until the decisive game and the pocket without trembling, on a winning serve.

- At the gates of the top 30 -

In the second round, Tsitsipas gave himself the first break opportunities, but Humbert held on.

To the point of affording three match points in a new tie-break, 6 points to 3. In vain.

The French player, however, did not demobilize: he broke from the start of the decisive set, once again his opponent got back together, but Humbert, physically exhausted but irreproachable in attitude, found the resources to conclude victoriously in a final decisive game.

Humbert thus confirms his progress until then discreet but steady: barely in the top 300 in mid-2018, he has not stopped climbing since.

He made a place for himself in the top 100 at the end of 2018, started the 2020 season at the gates of the top 50, and he now points to those of the top 30.

Monday, Humbert had his very first victory in the Parisian hall against the young Norwegian Casper Ruud (27th).

In 2018 as in 2019, he lost in the first round, against Adrian Mannarino, then against the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.

© 2020 AFP