Karen Khachanov was really upset with Ugo Humbert’s behavior during their Paris Masters semifinal match. Both players were on a hot streak coming into the match. Humbert had an impressive win over Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16, finishing strong with a score of 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.
Khachanov’s year had been rocky due to injuries, but he made a comeback during the indoor season. He won the Almaty Open by defeating Alejandro Tabilo and then reached the Vienna Open final, where Jack Draper stopped him from claiming another title.
The Paris Masters saw Khachanov reach yet another semifinal, facing off against Humbert for a chance to play Alexander Zverev in the final. The first set was intense and went to Khachanov after an 8-6 tiebreaker. Humbert bounced back in the second set with a 6-4 win, setting up a deciding third set.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇷🇺 Karen Khachanov | 28 | 1,780 | 20 - 10 |
Match Drama and Reactions:
Unfortunately for Khachanov, an injury hampered his performance in that final set . Despite finishing the match, he couldn’t play at his best and lost 6-3 to Humbert. However, what really got under Khachanov’s skin was how Humbert celebrated wildly despite his injury struggles.
Fans might think that celebrating while your opponent is injured isn’t very sportsmanlike. During their handshake at the net, Khachanov told Humbert he should be more respectful. The French player seemed puzzled by this reaction but brushed it off as he celebrated reaching such an important final.
In his interview afterward with ZiggoSport, Khachanov expressed disappointment in how Humbert acted compared to how he himself handled Grigor Dimitrov’s fatigue earlier on: “I told him at the net to show more respect… I will congratulate him if he behaves like a normal person.”
Humbert’s celebrations did appear excessive during that crucial third set; perhaps he was just caught up in one of his career’s biggest moments without realizing how it looked from outside.
Could this spark future tension between them? What do you think about sportsmanship on court?
