Two previous winners are still in the running for the open draw after the Paris Masters’ four semifinalists were determined. Carlos Alcaraz’s early departure and the absence of Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic left the semifinals open.
The top seed (No. 3) Alexander Zverev has a good chance of making it to another Masters 1000 final, but he will have to contend with 2022 champion Holger Rune, who has been playing his best tennis at one of his favorite locations. In what could be an unexpected matchup, local hopeful Ugo Humbert will face 2017 champion Karen Khachanov in the other quarterfinal.
At the Paris Masters, Alexander Zverev has made the most of his seeding by moving through the rounds with ease. After defeating Tallon Griekspoor in the opening round, the German went on to upset Arthur Fils, a local player who has been one of the most reliable this season. Zverev narrowed their head-to-head record to 6-10 after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets after a difficult match in the quarterfinals.
Holger Rune, the 2022 winner who shocked the tennis world by defeating Novak Djokovic in the championship match last year and defeating four top-10 players en route, will take on him. Rune advanced to the Swiss Indoors semifinals last week, and he has maintained his impressive play in Paris this week, defeating Matteo Arnaldi, Alex De Minaur, Arthur Cazaux, and Alexander Bublik.
Although Zverev leads their head-to-head record 2-1 and has won both of their 2024 matchups at Roland Garros and the Canadian Open, Rune is now in his seventh Masters 1000 semifinal.
Throughout the tournament, Ugo Humbert, the top-seeded French player, has demonstrated his form and self-assurance. After defeating Brandon Nakashima and Marcos Giron, the 15th seed faced world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the Round of 16, when he recorded one of his greatest victories to date. Humbert reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal after defeating Jordan Thompson in straight sets while riding this confidence wave.
Karen Khachanov, the 2017 champion, who has had a somewhat patchy year in comparison to previous seasons, is waiting for him. Khachanov, who is now ranked 21st in the world, advanced to his fifth Masters 1000 semifinal by defeating opponents such as Grigor Dimitrov, Alexei Popyrin, and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. The Russian’s lone previous victory over Humbert occurred during the 2021 Olympic Games, before to Humbert’s ascent into the top 30.