Bercy, here we go! French No. 1 Ugo Humbert snatched his qualification for the 2nd round of the Paris Masters 1000 on Monday after a long fight , just like the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas who also suffered.
What a battle! Against the American Brandon Nakashima (n° 35), Humbert gave the spectators on the central court their first thrills, finally winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 after more than two hours of play.
In the second round of this last edition of the tournament in the Bercy stadium, before a move to La Défense Arena in Nanterre planned for 2025, he will face another American, Marcos Giron (n° 49), who beat the Chinese Juncheng Shang, from the qualifiers, on Monday.
Having already beaten Nakashima at Wimbledon (grass) and then in Tokyo (hard, outdoor) earlier in the year, Humbert secured a third victory against the American on Monday, this time indoors.
“It’s not a matter of anything,” the Frenchman commented at a press conference.
“I like winning this kind of match, when […] I’m not playing my best tennis. When you play well, it’s easy, but there, I managed to win even when I was a little less good,” he said with satisfaction.
After a clear domination by Humbert in the first set, the exchanges were balanced in the second, the Metz player giving up his service for the first time at the worst possible moment, while Nakashima was leading 5-4.
The Frenchman got his comeuppance in the deciding set, stealing the American’s serve at 4-4. Humbert then confirmed his break without faltering to pocket the final set 6-4.
Tsitsipas struggles
If he wins in the second round , Humbert could face world number 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16.
“I’m going to stop projecting myself, I’m going to try to win this next match” before thinking about what comes next, Humbert said.
Exempted from the first round, Alcaraz said he was “ready to get a good result” at Bercy, “or in any case to go further than last year”, where he was beaten in the second round .
Early in the evening, world number 11 Stefanos Tsitipas had to work hard to overcome Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena (number 54), who was ultimately defeated 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Semi-finalist at Bercy in 2022 and 2023 and headliner of this first day, the Greek will play his 2nd round against the Portuguese Nuno Borges (n° 34) or the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (n° 22).
Earlier in the day, Arthur Rinderknech (n° 60) had benefited from the withdrawal of Czech Tomas Machac (n° 25), affected in the right Achilles tendon, to move on to the 2nd round .
In the second round , the Frenchman will face the Pole Hubert Hurkacz (n° 15) or the American Alex Michelsen (n° 44).
Another French player involved on Monday, the 90th world player Quentin Halys, however, suffered the law of the Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo (n° 29), winner 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.
Ranked 58th , Adrian Mannarino must challenge the American Tommy Paul (n° 12) in the evening, before the entry into the competition on Tuesday of veteran Richard Gasquet (38 years old).
For his 17th and final participation in the Paris Masters 1000 and a few months before his planned retirement after the next Roland-Garros , the Biterrois will face the Belgian Zizou Bergs, 65th in the world.
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