Paris Masters 1000: last Frenchman standing, Humbert falls in turn

Cédric Chasseur with AFP / Photo credits: JEAN CATUFFE / DPPI VIA AFP 08:21, 02 November 2023, modified at 08:23, 02 November 2023

France's Ugo Humbert (26th in the world), the last Frenchman still in contention at the Paris Masters 1000, was eliminated in the second round by Germany's Alexander Zverev (9th) 6-4, 6-7 (7/3), 7-6 (7-5) after a crazy match and 3 hours and 29 minutes of play.

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A historically low record for French tennis

French tennis has had an all-time low record in Paris, with only one representative in the 2nd round for the first time and none in the 8th round for only the second time since 1990. Humbert's defeat added to the failures of hopefuls Arthur Fils and Luca Van Assche, Adrian Mannarino, Richard Gasquet despite three match points, Benjamin Bonzi, Alexandre Muller and Gaël Monfils, who had a match point.

However, the Frenchman started well, launched well thanks to a very good first ball, against an opponent who alternated between good and bad until the middle of the set. He even had nine break points in the first set on four different service games, but unable to find the breakthrough, he let the slightly more realistic German (one break point converted out of six) win the first set 6-4 in 66 minutes.

At the start of the second set, the complexion of the match looked identical, with the Frenchman still unable to take his opponent's serve on two more opportunities, and let Zverev take it from him at 2-2 on a poorly controlled service game. But something clicked at 5-4 when Zverev, who had looked much calmer in the second set, was serving for the match and was close to sending Humbert to the locker room.

An unstoppable third set

It was this precise moment, carried by an electric atmosphere, that the Frenchman chose to convert the first of his twelve break points to get back on level terms with his opponent and push him to the tie-break.

Much more serene thanks to a rediscovered first ball and a good length, he won a controlled tiebreak 7-6 (7/3) to set up an unexpected third set. And for a long time it was believed that the rest of the match belonged to those crazy evenings of which Bercy has the secret, in front of an unstoppable third set and in which Humbert first took the lead by offering himself the German's serve at 2-2. All also held their breath against the world No.9's break at 4-3, obtained after five opportunities, while both players seemed to be on a physical edge after so much effort.

In another tie-break, it was the Frenchman, with a dark look and a furious point, who first took the lead until 5-2. But the German, thanks to well-thought-out returns and a heavy serve, won 7-6 (7/5) and deprived the 15,000 spectators of a long collective and French joy. "What makes me the saddest is that I couldn't give victory to all those who supported me. They pushed me to the end and that's the regret I have," the Frenchman told a press conference.

The season remains promising for Humbert

The season remains promising for the Lorraine native, who is guaranteed to become French No. 1 again next week, and who will play the tournament in Metz next week, hoping to continue the good momentum started in the autumn (quarter-finals in Beijing and the Shanghai Masters 1000, then semi-finals in Basel last week). "It came down to nothing, I believe in the process, I have to continue what I'm doing well, continue in the same state of mind, I'm sure it will smile on me one day or another," he said.

The German, recently fined €450,000 by the Berlin District Court for domestic violence, will meet Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas (No. 6), who defeated Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (No. 19) in two sets earlier in the day.