Zverev defeats Tsitsipas to secure semifinal spot in Paris

Posted : 01 November 2024

Germany's Alexander Zverev triumphed over rival Stefanos Tsitsipas with a score of 7-5, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters on Friday. This victory puts Zverev on the path to potentially securing his first title at this event since he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the final back in 2020. With this win, Zverev, currently ranked third in the world, is now the highest-seeded player remaining in the tournament.

Zverev is set to face either the 13th seed Holger Rune or the ninth seed Alex de Minaur in the semifinals on Saturday. The match marked the 16th encounter between Zverev, 27, and Tsitsipas, 26, and the first set was characterized by a fiercely competitive exchange of skills from both players.

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Reflecting on the match, Zverev noted, “At the beginning, he was outplaying me, but then I found my rhythm from the baseline.” His ability to adapt and seize opportunities allowed him to take control of the match after breaking Tsitsipas late in the first set and again early in the second. This strategic shift ultimately led to Zverev's sixth career victory against the Greek player.

Tsitsipas's defeat ends his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals this month, a tournament he previously won in 2019. Both competitors began the match with a degree of caution, as Tsitsipas double-faulted early on, giving Zverev a chance to capitalize on the mistake. Despite the initial struggles, both players soon found their footing and began executing strong serves.

As the first set progressed, Zverev showcased the power and precision of his groundstrokes, making it difficult for Tsitsipas to break through. The match reached a critical point when Zverev capitalized on Tsitsipas's double fault while serving at 5-5, allowing him to secure the first break of the match. Despite Tsitsipas's efforts to fight back, Zverev held strong and took the set.

In the second set, Tsitsipas struggled to maintain momentum, visibly frustrated as he failed to convert multiple break points. Zverev's confidence grew as he consolidated his break advantage, demonstrating his dominance in the match. With the victory, Zverev aims to claim his second ATP 1000 title of the season, having previously reached the French Open final earlier this year.

In the other matches of the day, French player Ugo Humbert, who recently defeated world number two Carlos Alcaraz, is set to face Australia's Jordan Thompson. Additionally, Rune will compete against De Minaur, while last year's finalist, Grigor Dimitrov, takes on Russian Karen Khachanov in the remaining quarterfinals.

Zverev defeats Tsitsipas to secure semifinal spot in Paris

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