Carlos Alcaraz faced more challenges at the Paris Masters on Thursday, with Alexander Zverev eyeing the chance to surpass him in the rankings. Despite his young age of 21 and impressive achievements, indoor courts remain a tricky area for Alcaraz, as he has yet to reach an ATP Tour final on such surfaces.
In past Paris Masters tournaments, Alcaraz hasn’t gone beyond the quarterfinals. Yet this year, he was hopeful things would turn out differently. He believed that fatigue had been an issue before but felt more prepared for the 2024 event.
Alcaraz started strong by defeating Nicolas Jarry on Tuesday but found the court too slippery . Next up was Ugo Humbert, who recently criticized Jannik Sinner‘s comments about scheduling. Known for his powerful serve, Humbert posed a real threat in these fast conditions.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇪🇸 Carlos Alcaraz | 21 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
Paris Showdown: Alcaraz vs. Humbert
Previously in 2024, Alcaraz had bested Humbert at Wimbledon and during the Davis Cup indoors. However, their clash in Paris took a different turn when Humbert delivered outstanding shots to win 6-1, 3-6, 7-5. Although Alcaraz played well overall, he struggled early and couldn’t clinch victory in the final set.
Currently holding onto No. 2 after Zverev’s stumble at Vienna Open against Lorenzo Musetti, fans might wonder if Zverev can claim that spot soon.
Zverev is now advancing to another quarterfinal in Paris and faces Stefanos Tsitsipas next; two wins could elevate him above Alcaraz. With a live ranking of 6915 points compared to Alcaraz’s 7210 after losing in round of 16—200 points from beating Tsitsipas would bring Zverev closer but still short unless he reaches finals for full takeover with 7365 points.
Neither player will dethrone Jannik Sinner from No.1 though; he’s already secured it faster than anyone since Djokovic back in ’15! Some think fans believe Zverev might finish strong enough at ATP Finals due to Carlos’ indoor struggles—Ljubicic even sees him as major contender against Sinner there!
What do you think? Can Zverev catch up or will Carlos hold his ground?
