Paris Masters – Zverev knocks Rune out of ATP Finals contention to progress to the final

Alexander Zverev defeated Holger Rune 6-3, 7-6 (3) with an impressive performance to reach the final of the Paris Masters for a second time. The victory raises the German to the world No 2 spot in the live rankings – leapfrogging Carlos Alcaraz – and knocks the Dane out of qualification contention for the Nitto ATP Finals.

It was the two-time Grand Slam finalist that struck first, breaking for a 3-1 lead with some offensive hitting – which is highly rewarded on the speed courts in Bercy. In the very next game, the 2022 Paris Masters champion tried to fight back by extending the rallies, but hit two unforced errors on both break back opportunities to further extend his deficit 4-1.

From there, neither put a foot wrong on serve, with Rune holding his next service games to love, but with the lead too large to recover from, and Zverev subsequently served out the set on his second set point for 6-3.

In the second set, the trend of holding serve continued until Zverev created three break point opportunities at 3-3, missing the first, but capitalising on the second with a inside out forehand winner to finish off yet another prolonged rally. The world No 2 let out a huge roar after he clinched the break, knowing that he now would only have to rely on his own serve to get him over the finish line. Sounds easy? It wasn’t to be.

In typical Holger Rune fashion, the Dane dug deep and – at 5-4 down – utilised his defence to carve out a few improbable passing shots. On his first break point, Rune did so again, with Zverev missing a volley into the net to hand the break back at the most crucial of times. The Dane then survived an extended service game, before Zverev held with ease to take the second set to a tiebreak.

In the tiebreak, it was the German who was more clinical, gaining the early minibreak, before finding two first serves to go up 3-0. At 6-3 down, Zverev sought to clinch the win on the first time of asking, but Rune hit yet another impressive passing shot to get one minibreak back. However, he wasn’t to be denied, and Zverev finished the match with a volley which was just out of the reach of his opponent, to clinch the tiebreak, and the match, 7-6 (4).

Zverev looking forward to sunday showdown

After the match, Alexander Zverev spoke to what it means to make another Masters 1000 final:

“You know, it’s great, another big final for me, any Masters 1000 event is a huge tournament. So, I’m looking forward to tomorrow, and I’m going to give everything that I have and hopefully it will be enough.”

I’m going to give everything

Zverev, on the final

He was also asked about his feelings of possibly playing with the crowd against him, if he plays the home favourite Ugo Humbert in the final:

“I’m not playing against the crowd, I’m playing against another tennis player. But, of course, if I play against somebody French in France, it’s normal that the crowd is not for me. I’m looking forward to the final no matter who it is against.”

The German will face either Ugo Humbert or Karen Khachanov on Sunday for a chance to lift the trophy at the Paris Masters for the first time.

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