Tennis News

Champions of October: Sinner, Zverev win Masters 1000s, Draper & Mpetshi Perricard clinch maiden ATP 500 crowns

An action-packed October on the ATP Tour saw Jannik Sinner continue his standout season by clinching his third ATP Masters 1000 trophy of 2024 in Shanghai. On European indoor hard courts, Jack Draper and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard achieved their most significant titles to date by triumphing in Vienna and Basel, respectively, before Alexander Zverev notched his second Masters 1000 success of the season in Paris.

ATPTour.com reflects on the champions of October.

Rolex Shanghai Masters, Shanghai – Jannik Sinner
After becoming the first Italian to win the US Open in September, Sinner carved more history in October. The 23-year-old downed Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 6-3 in the Rolex Shanghai Masters final to become the youngest champion in tournament history. By denying Djokovic a 100th tour-level title, the World No. 1 Sinner clinched his Tour-leading seventh title of 2024 and levelled the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 4-4.

Sinner’s final triumph in China was his personal-best 65th win of the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss index. Throughout the tournament, Sinner demonstrated solid form and dropped his only set against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round. Following his semi-final win against Tomas Machac, the 23-year-old clinched ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours, becoming the first Italian to achieve the feat.

Rolex Paris Masters, Paris – Alexander Zverev
Zverev joined Sinner in claiming a late-season Masters 1000 crown with a similarly dominant run at the Rolex Paris Masters. The German dropped one set all week at Paris-Bercy, where he raced past home favourite Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-2 in the championship match.

The 27-year-old Zverev’s title run in Paris took him clear of Sinner at the top of the match wins leaderboard for 2024 with 66 tour-level victories. It also ensured his return to No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings ahead of the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.

From Paris, with love 😘#RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters | @AlexZverev pic.twitter.com/rnk6WJRrbj

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 3, 2024

Erste Bank Open, Vienna – Jack Draper
After reaching his maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open in September, Jack Draper unlocked more success in October. The 22-year-old clinched his maiden ATP 500 crown and second tour-level title overall at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, a triumph that helped him ascend to a career-high No. 15 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

The Briton defeated snapped Karen Khachanov’s eight-match winning streak with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph in the final. Draper found some of his best tennis to complete a near-perfect week during which he dropped his only set against Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals. He also became the first player to win Vienna on his debut since countryman Andy Murray achieved the feat in 2014.

Swiss Indoors Basel, Basel – Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
It was a dream week for rising star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who clinched his second tour-level title and maiden ATP 500 crown at the Swiss Indoors Basel. The Frenchman ousted Ben Shelton 6-4, 7-6(4) in the final, denying the American a third tour-level title. The 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard remained unbroken all week and fired 109 aces in five matches, demonstrating why he is seen as one of the most exciting talents on Tour. After beginning the season at No. 205 and steadily climbing the rankings through the year, the Basel triumph lifted him to a career-high No. 31 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

Mpetshi Perricard stunned two-time defending Basel champion Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round and fourth seed Holger Rune in the semi-finals. With the title, the 6’8” Frenchman became the lowest-ranked champion since the Swiss Indoors Basel became a tour-level event in 1975.

Almaty Open, Almaty – Karen Khachanov
Third seed Karen Khachanov edged Gabriel Diallo at the Almaty Open to clinch his seventh tour-level title. The 28-year-old registered a thrilling 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 win over the Canadian to end his title drought on indoor hard courts. It was Khachanov’s first trophy indoors since he defeated Djokovic to capture the 2018 Rolex Paris Masters.

BNP Paribas Nordic Open, Stockholm – Tommy Paul
Tommy Paul delivered a high-quality performance to outclass Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 and reclaim the trophy at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm. Paul, who also won in Stockholm in 2021, did not drop a set en route to his third title of the season. He became the fourth player to win at least three tour-level titles in 2024 alongside Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Matteo Berrettini.

European Open, Antwerp – Roberto Bautista Agut
Roberto Bautista Agut rediscovered some of his best form to edge fifth seed Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-1 in Antwerp and clinch his 12th tour-level title. It was the Spaniard’s first title since he triumphed in Kitzbühel in July 2022. Bautista Agut dropped his only set of the week in his quarter-final victory over Felix Auger Aliassime, against whom he rallied from a one-set deficit.

With his Antwerp title, the 36-year-old Bautista Agut became the second-oldest tour-level champion this season after Djokovic (37) clinched the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

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#NextGenATP Michelsen fires past Mayot in Metz opener

Alex Michelsen wasted little time in getting his debut campaign at the Moselle Open underway on Sunday.

The eighth seed at the indoor ATP 250 in Metz produced a clinical performance to breeze past French wild card Harold Mayot in 76 minutes. Michelsen saved all nine of the break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to a 6-3, 6-1 triumph.

“I think my backhand was the determining factor,” Michelsen said, when asked about the key to his victory. “I feel like I was just painting the lines with my backhand today, and that doesn’t always happen, but when it does it feels pretty good. My forehand return felt unbelievable as well, so that’s always a plus.”

Michelsen, who is second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, is seeded at an ATP Tour event this week for the fourth time in his career, having reached two finals as a seeded player in 2024 (Newport, Winston-Salem).

Metz-native Mayot applied pressure in the early stages but was unable to convert any of the eight break points he carved out in the third game. From there, Michelsen dialled in to race across the line and improve to 29-28 at tour-level in 2024.

The 20-year-old #NextGenATP star will next face either Richard Gasquet or Thiago Monteiro for a spot in the third round.

Earlier, home hope Corentin Moutet snapped his six-match winning streak after Sumit Nagal was forced to retire with the Frenchman leading 7-5, 4-0. Moutet held his nerve in a tight first set, then his trademark trickery and touch came to the fore in a dominant display in the early stages of the second.

After securing his first indoor win since 2022, Moutet will face Alexander Shevchenko or seventh seed Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round.

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Nitto ATP Finals: Prize money tops $15 million for 2024 event

There will be $15,250,000 prize money on offer at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals, which is to be held at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, from 10-17 November.

If the champion at this year’s season finale clinches the title with a perfect record, he will earn $4,881,500. This is an increase on last year’s $4,801,500.

Following on from previous years, three matches at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals will be worth more than $1 million. Each semi-final will yield the winner more than $1 million, and the winner of the championship match will receive $2,237,200.

*Singles Participation Fee Schedule (2024)
1 match: $165,500
2 matches: $248,250
3 matches: $331,000

If a doubles team lifts the trophy with a perfect record, it will split $959,300.

*Doubles Participation Fee Schedule (2024)
1 match: $67,100
2 matches: $100,650
3 matches: $134,200

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How Zverev ‘having the feeling’ left Humbert reeling in Paris

Did Alexander Zverev surprise even himself with the quality of his championship-match display Sunday at the Rolex Paris Masters?

Ugo Humbert had delivered a series of classy performances that channelled his stirring home support en route to the final at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris-Bercy, including against Carlos Alcaraz in the third round. The Frenchman could do nothing to counter Zverev’s charge in the title showdown, however, and Zverev raced to a 6-2, 6-2 triumph in just 75 minutes.

“No, I didn’t have a feeling it was going to be two and two, but actually from the start and from the rallies in the first games, even when I lost the rallies, I felt like the ball was [feeling good] on my racquet,” reflected Zverev in his post-match press conference. “When I have this feeling, I feel well on the court. I feel comfortable and confident, maybe being a bit more aggressive, going for more shots than I usually do.

“Against him, it was important. I think he’s one of the best players when he’s aggressive. I think he maybe struggles a bit still when he has to defend, so when I put him in a position where he has to defend, I think that’s a position where I’m comfortable and he’s not. I felt great off the back of the court, and I think against him that was the key today.”

From Paris, with love 😘#RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters | @AlexZverev pic.twitter.com/rnk6WJRrbj

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 3, 2024

Victory in Paris was the perfect confidence-builder for Zverev ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals. The 27-year-old will now head to Turin for the prestigious season finale, where he is bidding to become a three-time titlist after his victories in 2018 in London and 2021 in Turin.

“I think for Turin, everybody becomes motivated,” said Zverev, when asked about his record at the Nitto ATP Finals. “It’s such a special tournament. It’s such a special atmosphere and feeling when you’re there and only eight players in the world are there.

“You feel special already playing there, so I think everybody is motivated. Everybody wants to win this title and play good tennis… You’re fighting all year to make the cut there, so I think once you’re there, you’re going to give it your best, and everybody else will as well. At the end of the day, you’re only playing the best eight players in the world. So there are no easy matches, and you have to play your best tennis from the first match on.”

After lifting his seventh Masters 1000 trophy, Zverev will on Monday return to his career high of No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings. While reaching No. 1 for the first time is high on the German’s list of goals, he believes he will only get there by fulfilling another long-held ambition, one that he will again push towards in 2025 — to become a major champion.

“I think now when everybody is playing and everybody is playing at full strength and everybody is healthy, you have to win Grand Slams to become World No. 1,” said Zverev. “I’m World No. 2 now, but I’m 3,000 points away from Jannik, more or less. I think without the Grand Slams and without the points of the Grand Slams, it’s not possible anymore.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Humbert : 'I gave it my all, I have no regrets'

Entering the Rolex Paris Masters, Ugo Humbert had never reached an ATP Masters 1000 final. So despite falling short Sunday in the championship clash to Alexander Zverev, the lefty was in good spirits.

“It was a beautiful week, despite my defeat today. My feeling is that I gave it my all, I have no regrets,” Humbert said. “He was stronger than me in every aspect of tennis. I couldn’t recover from yesterday’s match enough, but congrats to him.”

Zverev firmly took hold of the match early on and never let go, dominating the action from the outset in his 6-2, 6-2 victory. But Humbert battled until the end to try to thrill his home crowd.

“It was tough. I tried until the end to be faithful to myself, to my values, to put up a battle until the end. When it’s not over, there’s still hope, and with this public, it’s crazy,” Humbert said. “He missed two points only, the first two shots. And then he never missed afterwards. I believed in it until the end. I hoped that I would level the scores, but ultimately the scores were quite painful for me. So I fought until the end, and this is what I want to keep in mind.”

On Saturday, Humbert earned one of the biggest wins of his career against Karen Khachanov to make his maiden Masters 1000 final. But the 26-year-old was unable to produce his aggressive best on Sunday against Zverev.

“Physically, when I woke up this morning during the warmup it was not easy. I was tired. But I accepted that it was the way it was. Mentally, I also felt that I was less composed,” Humbert said. “As for him, his serve was amazing during the first set. I had no free points during the second set. Sometimes I could have some free points, but also, his forehand I thought that I could try to get something, but he gave me nothing. The only point I could get is when he had a crosscourt backhand. Otherwise nothing.”

After a tournament in which Humbert upset four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz and broke new ground, he explained that he is not surprised by his performance.

“I felt that I was capable, so I’m not surprised that I reached that level, that I beat Alcaraz, to have reached the finals of a Masters 1000 tournament.” Humbert said. “I’m working hard. I have a great team around me to help me and guide me.

“So all in all, I’m glad that it paid off this week, but I’m not surprised to have reached that level.”

It was a thrilling week for the No. 14 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. He came within two sets of becoming the first French Rolex Paris Masters champion since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008.

“This tournament is amazing. The history, the track record of this tournament, with all the players who won this tournament, it’s crazy,” Humbert said. “I would have liked to etch my name on the trophy, but I did my utmost. I wanted to live this tournament intensively. This is what happened. Every match was riveting. I’m delighted that I could go through this experience with my team, my family, my friends, and the French public.”

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Zverev beats Humbert for first Paris Masters title

Germany’s Alexander Zverev claims a straight-set win over home favourite Ugo Humbert to clinch his first Paris Masters title.

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Swiatek shakes off rust & Gauff wins at WTA Finals

Iga Swiatek begins her bid to regain the world number one ranking with a comeback win over Barbora Krejcikova at the WTA Finals, while Coco Gauff also enjoys success against Jessica Pegula.

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A small bear causing big trouble

As Paddington returns to the big screen, catch up with his previous acclaimed adventure

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Zverev takes opening set vs. Humbert in Paris final

Alexander Zverev is just one set away from lifting his seventh ATP Masters 1000 title. The German leads Ugo Humbert 6-2 in the championship match at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Live Rankings was dialled in from the outset, dismantling Humbert’s serve in the third game to silence the raucous French crowd. From there, Zverev pulled clear with imperious serving and did not drop a point behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

If Zverev can go on to seal victory, he will move ahead of Jannik Sinner and record a Tour-leading 66th win of 2024. The 27-year-old holds a 22-13 record in finals.

To claim the seventh and biggest ATP Tour title of his career, Humbert will have to rally from a set deficit. The 26-year-old, who is 6-1 in finals, aims to become the first Frenchman to triumph in Paris since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga did so in 2008.

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Koolhof/Mektic seal Tour-leading fifth title of 2024 in Paris

Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic are finishing with a flourish in their final season together. The sixth seeds rallied on Sunday to take home their fifth ATP Tour title of 2024 at the Rolex Paris Masters.

Koolhof and Mektic came alive in their first Match Tie-break of the week to defeat Lloyd Glasspool and Adam Pavlasek 3-6, 6-3, 10-5 in the championship match. With their Tour-leading fifth triumph of the season, the Dutch/Croatian duo rose to third in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.

“It’s very special. To win three Masters in a year is an unbelievable achievement from both of us,” said Koolhof, who is retiring at the end of the season. “We hit a rough patch in the middle of the season but, before Shanghai, we knew what was at stake to make Turin.”

Title No. 5⃣ in 2024 🙌@wesleykoolhof & @NMektic claim the trophy in Paris!#RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters pic.twitter.com/FIPEISeEiu

— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 3, 2024

Having won the Nitto ATP Finals together in 2020, Koolhof and Mektic will return to Turin with their sights set on more glory at the season-ending finale.

“There’s still a lot to play for in Turin and at the Davis Cup,” added Koolhof, who will represent the Netherlands against Spain in the quarter-finals at the Davis Cup. “It will be special against Spain and against Rafa [Nadal]. He will be the main guy there, but I am going to try and throw a bit of sand into the Spanish engine.”

Koolhof and Mektic had not dropped a set all week but found themselves trailing in Sunday’s final against Glasspool and Pavlasek, who were playing in their first event as a team. However, they ignited some of their most clutch tennis in the second set, during which they saved each of the two break points they faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Their experience and quality then came to the fore in a near-flawless Match Tie-break to seal their third ATP Masters 1000 title of the season.

“We have such a good friendship, energy and understanding,” added Mektic. “On and off the court, we really enjoy it, and I think that’s crucial.”

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