Zverev Overcomes Fucsovics In Paris, Remains Alive For Turin

Alexander Zverev
Alexander Zverev (photo ATP Tour video)

PARIS/WASHINGTON, October 31, 2023 (by Michael Dickens)

Alexander Zverev moved a step closer to punching his ticket for next month’s Nitto ATP Finals after rallying to defeat a very stubborn Marton Fucsovics of Hungary, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, in the first round at the Rolex Paris Masters Tuesday afternoon.

The 10th seed from Germany recovered from a slow start in which he only won 63 percent of his first-serve points to garner his 52nd tour-level win of the season. By the end, he had won 70 percent of his first-serve points, converted three of 13 break points and outpointed Fucsovics 92-90.

“It was just one or two points [that made the difference]. Tactically, he played unbelievable,” Zverev said of the 52nd-ranked qualifier Fucsovics, in his post-match interview with ATP Media. “His slice was very effective. Usually, I like when people play slice against me, but I didn’t really know what to do on this surface. It was a very difficult match. I’m happy to be through. ...

“I only practiced on Center Court once so it took some getting used to it. At the end of the day, I found my level, and I’m happy about that. Otherwise, it would have been a very tough day.”

The World No. 9 Zverev currently resides in seventh place in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin with 3,540 points, 440 points ahead of ninth-place Taylor Fritz of the United States. Zverev, who won the year-end event in 2018 and 2021, is looking to make his sixth appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Next, he will face No. 26 Ugo Humbert of France, who defeated 59th-ranked qualifier Marcos Giron of the United States, 6-4, 6-3.

“Whenever I have opportunities, I’ll have to grasp them,” Humbert said of his Center Court victory in his post-match press conference. Then, looking ahead to facing Zverev, he added: “It’s going to be a wonderful match and a wonderful atmosphere. So I’m eager to be there.”

Tough going for the French

On Monday, four out of the eight French players entered in the main draw lost. The remaining quartet – Benjamin Bonzi, Arthur Fils, Ugo Humbert and Gaël Monfils – were in action Tuesday trying to save face for France – and to advance to the second round.

Both Bonzi and Fils lost early in straight sets early in the day, to 48th-ranked lucky loser Dusan Lajovic of Serbia and No. 54 Daniel Altmaier of Germany, respectively. Then, Humbert broke the spell with his win over American qualifier Marcos Giron for his 100th career tour-level victory.

Finally, it was the 37-year-old Monfils’ turn to take center stage and, immediately he turned back the clock much to the delight of the raucous Accor Arena fans shouting encouragement. The two-time runner up in Paris (2009-2010), who made his debut at this event 19 years ago, won the opening set against No. 21 Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina.

“There is always a bit of magic, something that pumps me up that helps me to perform better than usual. I hope that it will happen again,” Monfils said over the weekend in his pre-tournament press conference.

However, as it turned out, winning the first set wasn’t enough for Monfils.

By the third set, with a match point long gone (in the 10th game of the second set, Cerundolo finally put away the win over the popular Frenchman, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-5, in two hours and 40 minutes. One last forehand winner by Cerundolo that capped a 14-shot rally was the difference and advanced the Argentine to the second round against No. 8 seed Casper Ruud of Norway.

If France had suffered another 0-for-4 performance, it would have marked the first time in the Open Era where no French player had advanced to the second round at Paris.

Safiullin deals Alcaraz stunning defeat

No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz started the day 500 points behind top seed Novak Djokovic in the Pepperstone ATP Race to Turin. On Tuesday night, the 20-year-old Spaniard was dealt a severe blow in his quest to finish year-end No. 1 after being upset by 45th-ranked Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin, 6-3, 6-4, in an hour and 37 minutes.

Safiullin, who advanced over French wild card Alexandre Muller on Monday, recovered from early breaks in both sets to earn the biggest win of his career. He broke Alcaraz four times in eight attempts – twice in each set – and outpointed his opponent 60-53.

“Since qualies, I was not playing at this level but against Carlos and these Top 10, Top 20 guys, you have to lift up the level,” Safiullin said in his post-match interview. “I managed to do it.

“For Carlos, it was not his best performance, but still I’m happy that I can win. … Even if he’s not in the best shape it’s tough to beat him. So I’m really happy that I made it.”

Safiullin’s upset win against Alcaraz follows a pattern of breakthrough runs in recent months, both at Wimbledon and Chengdu. His Pepperstone ATP Live Ranking is up to No. 39. He will take on fellow Russian and 16th seed Karen Khachanov in the third round.

Around the Rolex Paris Masters

• In a rematch of this year’s Shanghai ATP Masters 1000 semifinal between No. 11 seed Hubert Hurkacz and No. 24 Sebastian Korda, won by the Polish star en route to winning his second Masters 1000 title, Hurkacz rallied after dropping a second-set tie-break. He beat the American, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-3, in two hours and eight minutes.

“I was disappointed with the way the second set ended,” the World No. 11 Hurkacz told Tennis Channel in a TV interview afterward. “I took a bathroom break and looked at myself in the mirror and told myself to just give it my all and try my best. ‘Win or lose, you will go out there and fight as hard as you can.'”

After failing to serve out the match in the second set at 5-4 and also squandering a match point at 6-5 in the tie-break, Hurkacz reset himself and stayed in the moment. He gained his 65th Masters 1000 victory of his career and 18th of the season. He struck 35 winners while outpointed Korda 101-92. Next, Hurkacz faces No. 66 Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in the second round.

• American Taylor Fritz withdrew due to an abdominal strain he suffered in his opening-round win against Sebastian Baez of Argentina on Monday. The withdrawal jeopardizes his hopes of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals.

It’s something that’s been bothering me for a little bit. … I didn’t think it was anything too bad going in [to this match], but one where I slid out and sliced that forehand, I felt like I did something that I had never done to it before,” Fritz told ATP Media after his match Monday. “Like maybe I tore something or pulled it. So I’m going to have to get it checked out and see what’s going on.”

With Fritz out, it means that Germany’s Daniel Altmaier, a Tuesday 6-2, 6-4 winner over No. 36 Arthur Fils of France, will get a walkover win against Fritz and move into the third round against either No. 6 seed Holger Rune of Denmark or 108th-ranked Dominic Thiem of Austria.

• Other first-round winners include: Tomas Marin Etcheverry of Argentina; Mackenzie McDonald United States; and recent Basel champ Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada, who has now won six straight matches. Meanwhile, in a pair of second-round matches, Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain, 6-2, 6-2, and No. 16 seed Karen Khachanov of Russia bested No. 34 Laslo Djere of Serbia, 6-4, 7-5.

• Playing doubles for the fourth time in Paris, Novak Djokovic teamed with fellow Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic to sweep past Gonzalo Escobar of Ecuador and Aleksandr Nedovyesov of Kazakhstan, 6-4, 6-2, in 68 minutes to advance against No. 3 seeds Rohan Bopanna of India and Matthew Ebden of Australia.

Tuesday’s Rolex Paris Masters results

Wednesday’s Rolex Paris Masters order of play

By the numbers

Alexander Zverev is 31-9 against players ranked outside the Top 50 this year following his win over 52nd-ranked Marton Fucsovics, but won 23 of the last 25. He has not lost in the opening round in Paris since his debut appearance in 2017.

“Quotable …”

“It’s very nice to share a great and close match like that with Stan because we have a history together of many great matches. Obviously he’s one of my big idols backhand wise.

“The last two years I have lost more close matches than I have won, so this one is very, very important for me. The tennis has been getting better since Vienna. I beat two great guys in the qualies and now Stan in a match after saving match point, so it gives me a huge boost.”

– Dominic Thiem of Austria, during his post-match interview early Tuesday, after defeating Stan Wawrinka, 3-6 6-3, 7-5, to advance to the second round.

Search

Brigitte Urban
Tennis photographer
camera lens

International Blogs

Dietmar Kaspar

Bandecchi siegt im Final-Thriller gegen Snigur bei den THERME ERDING OPEN

November 14, 2024

Robert Frank

TCG Charity Cup bringt 13.000 Euro für den guten Zweck

October 16, 2024

Florian Heer

Apostolos Tsitsipas: “Coaching ist etwas Persönliches!”

September 4, 2024

Podcast

Categories