Masters 1000 Paris-Bercy: A Night of Ups and Downs for French Tennis
Poor France! Just when you think they’re ready to serve up some Tennis magic, it’s more like they’re serving burnt croissants! In the latest round of the Masters 1000 at Paris-Bercy, five French players entered the arena, and by the end of the night, only one had survived the culinary catastrophe that is international tennis. Spoiler alert: it’s Ugo Humbert, who decided that Halloween was the perfect night for a frightful performance from Carlos Alcaraz.
Ugo Humbert s’offre Carlos Alcaraz
Let’s start with the headline act, shall we? Ugo Humbert turned Halloween into a horror show for Carlos Alcaraz, who was terrifyingly absent from the quarter-finals after a defeat that was more shocking than a cat in a tuxedo. Humbert came out swinging like a caffeinated rabbit, winning the first four games as if he was auditioning for the role of “Gallic Gladiator”. Alcaraz, bless him, looked like he was having a bad DREAM—his 15 unforced errors had people questioning whether he was more about the style than the substance!
Despite almost giving his audience a heart attack with a third set thriller, Humbert broke Alcaraz when it mattered most. Will he face Australian Jordan Thompson next? Tune in, folks, because it seems Ugo is the French tennis equivalent of one of those French chefs—you know, the ones who *sometimes* use pineapple on pizza.
Arthur Fils gives Zverev a run for his money
Meanwhile, young Arthur Fils learned a harsh lesson in the school of hard knocks against Alexander Zverev. After a strong showing in Hamburg where he beat the German, Fils found himself in Paris eating a plate of humble pie instead—no fancy sauces here! He pushed Zverev to his limits, but in the end, the young Frenchman’s youthful exuberance was no match for Zverev’s seasoned skills.
Chatting with the chair umpire didn’t help his concentration, but hey, at least he got an ace out of it! Next time, mate, try to keep your eye on the ball, not on the drama—save that for the Parisian opera!
Arthur Cazaux puts up a valiant fight
Arthur Cazaux decided to make it interesting by taking Holger Rune to three sets. However, in tennis, as in life, it’s all about the timing—something Cazaux seemed to struggle with on pivotal points. It’s almost like he was waiting for a Parisian bus that never came!
After starting off shaky, he rallied but fell short at the finish line, leaving Rune to cruise into the next round. Don’t worry, Cazaux; you’re young! There’s always next Halloween… or March… or next year!
Arthur Rinderknech: The tragic hero
In yet another tragic twist, Arthur Rinderknech battled Grigor Dimitrov like they were auditioning for a role in a Shakespearean tragedy. After a promising second set, he ended up losing in the most heart-wrenching fashion—like watching your best friend get stood up at the altar. His thrilling tie-break loss sent him packing and, trust me, it’s a cruel world when you end up less popular than a squirrel at a dog park.
Adrian Mannarino’s missed opportunities
Lastly, Adrian Mannarino seemed to forget he was in a tennis match, playing the role of ‘The One Who Couldn’t Quite Get It Together.’ His unforced errors were as rampant as tourists on the Champs-Élysées, and by the end, he was serving like he thought the net was just a guideline. As he walked off, you could almost hear the echo of “What was I thinking?” So, off to the Metz tournament for him to regroup—don’t worry, Adrian; there’s always a “next time”!
In Conclusion
And there you have it—an evening of hope and heartbreak at Paris-Bercy! With Ugo Humbert still standing tall, the French fans will be praying the rest of the competition goes better than a failed soufflé. For those who fell, you may not have reached the quarter-finals, but hey, at least the French tennis players still have that classic ability to dazzle… or at least confuse us!
Five French people were entered in the round of 16 of the Masters 1000 at Paris-Bercy on Thursday.
France Télévisions – Sports Editorial
Published on 10/31/2024 22:13 Updated on 11/01/2024 00:23
Reading time: 6min Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils and Arthur Cazaux at the Masters 1000 at Paris-Bercy. (AFP and MAXPPP)
In the end, there will only be one left. Of the five French people entered in the round of 16, a record equaled in Masters 1000, only Ugo Humbert qualified, Thursday October 31, for the rest of the tournament by triumphing over Carlos Alcaraz, while Adrian Mannarino, Arthur Fils, Arthur Cazaux and Arthur Rinderknech were eliminated. Apart from Alcaraz’s failure, the other favorites still involved, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas qualified for the quarter-finals.
Ugo Humbert s’offre Carlos Alcaraz
For one Halloween evening, Carlos Alcaraz will have nightmares of the Masters 1000 at Paris-Bercy. The Spaniard, big favorite in the absence of Jannik Sinner, was eliminated at the gates of the quarter-finals, his best result in the tournament. Against him, Ugo Humbert played at his best level (6-1, 3-6, 7-5). The Frenchman started the match very well, very focused, to win the first four games. He also took advantage of the 15 unforced errors from Alcaraz, who did not obtain any break points and did not win any points on his second balls in the first set.
1/8 final: Ugo Humbert’s magical passing against Carlos Alcaraz What tension on the court of the Rolex Paris Masters! The outcome of this 1/8 final is close between Carlos Alcaraz and Ugo Humbert and neither player wants to give up. The Frenchman wins a superb point, with a devastating passing.
But with his status as the second player in the world, the Spaniard set the sights in the second set and if Ugo Humbert held up well on his first break points conceded, he ended up breaking down to head into a third set. A highly contested decisive round, in which both players offered good points to the Bercy crowd. Very good on returns, Ugo Humbert made the difference on Carlos Alcaraz’s last throw-in to break it and win the game. He will face Australian Jordan Thompson for a place in the last four, Friday at 7 p.m.
Arthur Fils gives in against Alexander Zverev
Arthur Fils beat Alexander Zverev at home in Hamburg. The German took revenge by winning against the young Frenchman in Paris (6-4, 3-6, 6-3). The world number 3 took the advantage at the end of a balanced first set, but if Arthur Fils reacted well in the second set, he made too many errors in the third set.
He came out of his match a little due to an error by the chair umpire, but without much impact on the score since another service was awarded to him, on which he scored an ace. But distracted, he failed to break away against an almost impeccable Zverev on his throws. The German will face Stefanos Tsitsipas, winner of Francisco Cerundolo, in the quarter-finals.
Arthur Cazaux pushes Holger Rune to his limits
He also took his revenge on a French player: Holger Rune beat Arthur Cazaux (3-6, 6-3, 6-4), who had beaten him at the Australian Open at the start of the year. Not successful on serve in the first set, and with too much waste in the game (14 unforced errors), the Dane woke up and raised his level in the second set. He broke from Arthur Cazaux’s first throw-in and the scenario was completely reversed.
Engaged in a third set, the Frenchman lacked success on the decisive points and finally lost at the gates of the quarter-finals after replacing Jannik Sinner as lucky loser. Holger Rune will face Australian Alex De Minaur, winner of Jack Draper.
Arthur Rinderknech cracks at the end of the match against Grigor Dimitrov
A cruel outcome for Arthur Rinderknech. Dominated by a well-inspired Grigor Dimitrov in the first set, the Frenchman reacted well in the second and pushed the world number 9 to the tie-break in the third (6-2, 4-6, 7-6 [5]). The Bulgarian, finalist at Bercy last year, was very solid on his serve, losing very few points, except on his fifth throw in the second set, on which he was broken.
Arthur Rinderknech tried to destabilize him by holding the exchange better and releasing his punches more in the final round, but was not rewarded. Having entered the final draw thanks to the withdrawal of Gaël Monfils, the Frenchman saw his fine run come to an end at the gates of the quarter-finals. Grigor Dimitrov is doing well in the race to qualify for the Masters.
Adrian Mannarino misses his chance
Too messy, the Frenchman lacked solidity on crucial points, conceding a break at 5-5 in the first set after coming back to score and letting two equalizer balls slip away in one set all over his serve.
A fatal clumsiness illustrated by his six unforced errors (51 in total) in the tie-break of the second set which offered the match to the Australian Jordan Thompson, who will discover the quarter-finals in Masters 1000. Registered for the Metz tournament, the native of Val-d’Oise, down to 58th in the world after being No. 17 at the end of January, will try to end the season on a good note in Moselle.
The necessary consistency to clinch a victory. Despite showing glimpses of brilliance, Cazaux fell short as Rune tightened his game, securing two important breaks to edge out the final set. This defeat marked the end of Cazaux’s campaign in Paris, but it showcased his potential against a top-tier opponent.
Mannarino and Rinderknech eliminated
Adrian Mannarino faced a tough challenge against seeded player, and though he fought valiantly, he could not overcome the skillset of his opponent, going down in straight sets. Similarly, Arthur Rinderknech struggled against a seasoned rival, unable to find his rhythm throughout the match. Both players, despite their losses, demonstrated resilience, and they will certainly take valuable lessons forward into future tournaments.
Looking ahead, Ugo Humbert remains France’s hope in the tournament, contending against stiff competition. The road to the semifinals will not be easy, but Humbert’s performance against Alcaraz has instilled confidence in him and his supporters alike. As Halloween unfolds, the spirit of competition remains alive at Paris-Bercy, promising more thrilling matches ahead!
With a mix of heartbreak and glory, the Masters 1000 at Paris-Bercy continues to be a festival of tennis, and fans will undoubtedly stay tuned for what unfolds next on the courts.
