Zverev reaches Paris SFs, ends Tsitsipas' Turin hopes
Alexander Zverev became just the third active player to reach 20 ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals on Friday at the Rolex Paris Masters, where he overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas to end the Greek’s Nitto ATP Finals hopes.
In the latest meeting of his long-running rivalry with Tsitsipas, Zverev saved the one break point he faced and hit with aggression and purpose in the fast indoor conditions to earn a 7-5, 6-4 win after one hour and 44 minutes in the French capital.
“I thought the whole match was a very good level from him,” Zverev said. “He started off hot, had some good chances to break me in the beginning. Maybe not break point wise but game wise. I got into the match and I found my rhythm and felt more and more comfortable and am happy with the win.”
Zverev, who joins Novak Djokovic (78) and Rafael Nadal (76) as a 20-time Masters 1000 semi-finalist, also became the first player born in the 1990s to earn 100 Top 20 wins (100-101). The 28-year-old Daniil Medvedev, born in 1996, is second, holding a 99-73 record.
Milestone Sascha 🎉 2⃣0⃣ 🎉@AlexZverev becomes the 8th player to reach 20 ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals in series history, defeating Tsitsipas 7-5 6-4! #RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters pic.twitter.com/IR2V4r2Dk7
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 1, 2024
Zverev is chasing his seventh Masters 1000 title and second of the season, having won in Rome. After improving to 6-10 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Tsitsipas, the German will face Australian Alex de Minaur or Dane Holger Rune in the semi-finals.
“I felt like I could hit it quite hard today and against him, if you are just pushing it back, he is going to make you pay,” Zverev said on Tsitsipas. “He is someone on the forehand side who can be so aggressive and he can move forward. So I was happy to take that away.”
Tsitsipas is 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin but can no longer qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 10-17 November. Eighth-placed De Minaur (3,745 points) and 13th-placed Rune (2,825 points) are still in qualification contention.
Zverev will head to Turin next week and will chase his third title at the prestigious year-end event. The 27-year-old, who has already booked his spot in northern Italy, triumphed at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2018 and 2021.
Tsitsipas ends the season holding a 45-22, highlighted by his run to the title in Monte-Carlo. It is the first time the World No. 11 has finished the season outside the Top 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings since 2018.
Did You Know?
Zverev is just the eighth player in history to reach 20 ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals. He joins Djokovic (78), Nadal (76), Roger Federer (66), Andy Murray (33), Andre Agassi (32), Pete Sampras (31), Andy Roddick (20).