The French number one had the last word against the Russian by winning 6-7, 6-4, 6-3, in 2h46. He will play his first final in a Masters 1000 on Sunday.
In history. Ugo Humbert succeeds Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, last French finalist at the Masters 1000 in Paris in 2011 (beaten by Federer). Flamboyant faller of Alcaraz in the 8th, the Lorraine defeated Karen Khachanov (6-7, 6-4, 6-3), this Saturday, in Bercy, at the end of a disjointed and particularly unpredictable match, where the Russian finished injured. Humbert gave himself the right to face Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday for a revenge of the second round won by the German after a furious duel.
Very undecided, the first set, 1h13 long, did not reach tennis peaks. The faults being more numerous than the winning points (22 for Khachanov [7]27 for Humbert [9]). The two big servers had difficulty with their play (55% firsts for the French, 53% for the Russian). After saving a break point, the French number one missed a break opportunity in the fourth game, following a spectator’s discomfort. Down on the first ball, Messin gave up his serve in the sixth game, before immediately getting back to 3-3, thanks to an unstoppable forehand slap.
In this disjointed first set, Messin experienced another slump in the ninth game by “giving” his serve to the Russian with a series of unforced errors, before returning to contact once again. The 18th in the world equalized at 5-5, thanks to a won rally, waking up the Accor Arena. The Parisian public became boiling when the French leader broke away in the deciding game, chaining biting strikes to break away 5-2, before cooling down when the Russian signed 4 consecutive points to give himself a set point , erased by the French. Stronger in money time, Khachanov had the last word (8-6).
Khachanov diminished
Regrets for Humbert, also when he led 0-40 on the Russian’s serve in the third game of the second set. Effective at first, the 2018 winner was able to maintain his commitment. Not in the 5th game, where the Frenchman managed to steal the opponent’s service with a superb winning forehand. Sharper in the first balls (78% of points won in the first balls), he was able to keep his break in advance to equalize at a set everywhere on an ace after 2h03. To the delight of the Accor Arena.
The waiters ruled the roost in the final act. After the fifth game, Khachanov had a long massage on his right thigh. And the French left-hander had his luck perfectly by breaking the Russian in the 7th game, raising his arms to the sky and haranguing the crowd. Clearly diminished, Khachanov ended the match on one leg. Humbert can savor. He is the first Frenchman in the final of a Masters 1000 since Gael Monfils in 2016 in Monte-Carlo.
Swiss
