Reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 final in Paris, France’s Ugo Humbert will take on Germany’s Alexander Zverev on Sunday on home soil after both won their semifinal matches on Saturday.
Humbert, 26, a native of Metz, which is approximately 200 miles east of Paris, took down Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-7(6), 6-4, 6-3 before a raucous home crowd at the Rolex Paris Masters.
Humbert is the fifth Frenchman to reach the Paris final and the first since 2011, when Jo-Wilfried Tsonga fell to Roger Federer. Tsonga was the last Frenchman to win the title, defeating defending champion David Nalbandian in 2008.
“It is amazing to do it in Paris at my favorite tournament. It is a dream,” said Humbert, who has won titles at Dubai and Marseille this year. “It was a little bit difficult compared to the previous matches. I felt a little more pressure, and after the loss of the first set, I tried to enjoy the moment and be with the crowd. I did very well and I am super proud.”
In the other semifinal, the third-seeded Zverev overcame former Paris champion Holger Rune of Denmark 6-3, 7-6(4) for his 65th singles win of the season. Zverev, the world No. 3 player, is tied with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy for the most ATP wins in 2024.
“I feel like I made it a little difficult for myself but he is a champion,” Zverev, 27, said of Rune. “It is probably his favorite tournament and favorite court, but I am happy to be in my second final here. I am looking forward to it.”
For Humbert, he won his 13th straight indoor hard-court match in France after connecting on 32 winners against Khachanov, a former Paris champion. Seeking his seventh tour-level title, the 15th-seeded Humbert has moved up four spots to No. 14 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and would be ranked a career-best No. 11 if he prevails on Sunday.
Khachanov received a medial timeout for a leg injury in the sixth game of the third set, then the world’s No. 21 player had difficulty moving during the final two games of a nearly three-hour match.
As for Zverev, who earlier this season won the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome, he is looking for his first Paris title after losing to Daniil Medvedev in the 2020 final. Zverev is also eyeing his seventh ATP Masters 1000 crown.
Against Rune, Zverev hit 25 winners and won 82 percent (37 of 45) of his first-serve points in the match, but had to go to a second-set tiebreaker to eventually put away his tough opponent.
If he wins Sunday, it would be Zverev’s seventh ATP Masters 1000 crown, having won Rome and Madrid twice each along with singles title wins in Cincinnati and Montreal.
–Field Level Media
