Just a handful of weeks remain in the tennis season this year, and the most recent one was eventful. All eyes were on the Paris Masters – the final Masters 1000 tournament of the year – where Alexander Zverev won his seventh big title, and plenty happened in the Race to Turin.
Viktorija Golubic and Diana Shnaider also prevailed on the WTA Tour, while Karen Khachanov had some controversial comments to say about Ugo Humbert in Paris. Read on for a look back at the week’s action, plus a peak at what’s to come this week.
Zverev Wins Paris Masters
Coming into the Paris Masters, Zverev wasn’t favored to win the event but him winning it is not a huge surprise. According to reports, the courts played as fast as ever in Paris and the eye test confirms it.
The German was smashing players left and right, powered by his serve which was basically untouchable. It’s tough to beat him when his serve works like that and he’s proven that events which play quick like the Madrid Open are where he does really well.
His run started with a win over Tallon Griekspoor. He then bested Arthur Fils which was the win that got people buzzing as it’s not an easy matchup for him. Then came a win over Stefanos Tsitsipas.
After that, he beat Holger Rune in the semi-final and finally it was a showdown with Humbert whom he beat comfortably as well. The victory takes Zverev back to the No 2 spot in the world, which he claims after Carlos Alcaraz fell early in the tournament.
When it comes to Zverev, he will continue his season at the ATP Finals after taking a full week of rest following this Paris Masters undertaking. With the way he’s been playing, he’s a name to watch when it comes to possibly winning that event.
Khachanov Takes Aim at Humbert
One of the spicier interactions of the week was Khachanov taking a pot-shot at Humbert after his loss to the Frenchman.
The Russian suffered a leg injury midway through the third set, and was barely able to compete from that point onwards. Humbert continued as he had been all match – riding a wave of adrenaline and channeling energy from the local crowd – and ran away with the match.
Afterwards, Khachanov was not happy.
“I told him at the net to show more respect,” he said. “He has no idea how to behave. I’m always about fair play. I will congratulate him if he behaves like a normal person. That’s all I can say. You can be with the crowd. I have no problem with that.
“Did you see me celebrate yesterday? Grigor was exhausted. He wasn’t injured at the end, he told me. Did you see me jumping and screaming ‘Come on! Allez!’ after every point? Do you think it’s okay?”
“You can celebrate after with the crowd no problem. You can do whatever you want. But while you see injuries are part of the game, to do it while you see the guy is on the ground? Okay, see you next time.”
Let us know in the comments whose side you’re on with this one.
Golubic and Shnaider Bag Titles
When it comes to the WTA Tour, there were a couple of interesting results at the two events in China. The Jiujiang tournament was won by Golubic who capped off an incredible week with a really solid performance in the final.
In Hong Kong, Shnaider raced past Katie Boulter for the loss of just three games, winning her fourth title of the year and solidifying herself as one of the best players in the world. She’s a name to watch for in 2024, and is likely to continue her ascent towards the top 10.
What’s Next in Tennis? ATP Finals
This ‘final’ regular week of the ATP season has two ATP 250 events in Belgrade and Metz. The season is not over yet and there are a couple of things to settle. Chiefly among them are the ATP Finals and the draw of it.
When it comes to the ATP Finals, this final week will determine our participants. We know five players who will play at the event but we need three more. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, and Taylor Fritz will play at the event.
The other three spots are not yet known. Right now, those spots are occupied by Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud and Alex de Minaur.
Andrey Rublev has a chance to squeeze out one of those as he’ll play in Belgrade. Ruud and Rublev are playing in Metz, so there is a chance that all three get in and Djokovic falls out as he’s not playing. It should be a very exciting week for fans to track the daily happenings.
Alex de Minaur is only a few points ahead of Rublev and both will need to do really well. Rublev winning Metz ensures him a spot there. De Minaur winning Belgrade ensures him a spot there while Ruud needs to make the semi-final at least.
It will be a very exciting week of tennis and lots of calculations from all sides, with the big question being: if Djokovic qualifies, will he even play?
New on Tennisnerd.net
In our fitness blog we’re running an off-season series with great tips to stay in shape, and don’t miss our Gear of the Year video where we list the “best” racquets of 2024.
