Paris (AFP)

On the rise, young Frenchman Ugo Humbert reached a new level on Thursday by rising for the first time to the quarter-final of a Masters 1000, at Paris-Bercy, and he will challenge Milos Raonic.

Humbert (22 years old, 34th) overcame Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, ex-world No. 3 today 43rd and winner of the US Open 2014, in just under two and a half hours in the round of 16.

Two days earlier, he had battled 3:17 against world No.6 Stefanos Tsitsipas, finally beaten in three decisive games, to offer himself the second victory of his young career against a player of the Top 10. His first was only six weeks back, at the expense of Daniil Medvedev (N.5) in mid-September in Hamburg.

For his first quarter-final in the Masters 1000, Humbert will face the formidable Canadian server Milos Raonic (17th) on Friday.

Reaching this stage in such a tournament for the first time, "it's great, I'm very happy, but it's not an end in itself", sums up the left-hander from Lorraine.

"I don't put pressure on myself for the result, I just try to improve and find things in me," he adds.

The method works: with his first two trophies, in Auckland in January and in Antwerp ten days ago, and on a series of eight straight victories, Humbert should make a place among the thirty best players in the world in the end of his second season on the main circuit, despite a year 2020 turned upside down by the Covid-19 pandemic and cut off by more than five months of competition.

- Strong minded -

How does he explain his success at the moment?

"I try to play more aggressively, I put all the energy I can into every game, and I've been very strong mentally for the past month: I am able to win matches in three sets, I won a lot of tie-breaks (9 out of the last 11 he played), I'm better at the important moments, ”he lists.

Unsurprisingly, and despite a game with very few exchanges, Humbert suffered physically against Cilic.

“Come on Ugo, come on,” “Move man,” he said aloud.

He held on and therefore found the resources, especially mental ones, to win, even in difficulty.

"It was a little more physically complicated today (Thursday), because my first two matches (against Ruud and Tsitsipas, editor's note) were not easy, he admits. But I believed in it from the start to At the end, even at the end of the second set, I told myself that I could do it and that I would find solutions. And I had no doubts when it came time to conclude. "

Not even having 24 hours to rebuild her health before facing Raonic doesn't worry her.

"I'm touched physically. But I try to play very relaxed and I know I'm able to recover quite quickly, I don't worry too much about that. Already I didn't expect to be so well today 'hui, muscularly it was better, even if the energy was not there, "he explains.

We know the poster for another quarter-final: he will pit Daniil Medvedev (5th) against Argentinian Diego Schwartzman (9th), who is only one victory away from a first qualification for the Masters. of the season.

It was confirmed from November 15 to 22 in London, behind closed doors because of the Covid-19.

© 2020 AFP