Bercy, here we go! The French N.1 Ugo Humbert won his qualification for the 2nd round of the Masters 1000 in Paris on Monday after a long fight, just like the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and Adrian Mannarino, surprise winner of Tommy Paul.
What a battle! Opposed to the American Brandon Nakashima (N.35), Humbert offered the first thrills to the spectators on center court, finally winning 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 after more than two hours of play.
A few hours later, the public once again roared with pleasure when Adrian Mannarino (N. 58) concluded the day with an unexpected victory against the American Tommy Paul (N.12), who said goodbye at the same time. his last hopes of competing in the Turin Masters (November 10-17).
For this final edition of the tournament in Bercy before a move to La Défense Arena in Nanterre, northwest of Paris, three of the four French people entered on Monday qualified for the 2nd round, Arthur Rinderknech having shown the way by taking advantage at the start of day of the abandonment of the Czech Tomas Machac in the second set.
Humbert will face in the next round the American Marcos Giron (N.49), who beat the Chinese Juncheng Shang on Monday, from qualifying.
After a clear domination by Humbert in the first set, the exchanges were balanced in the second, Messin giving up his service for the first time at the worst time, while Nakashima led 5-4.
The Frenchman gave him back in the deciding set, stealing his throw from the American at 4-4. Humbert then confirmed his break without trembling to pocket the last set 6-4.
“I like winning this kind of match, when (…) I’m not playing my best tennis,” Humbert commented at a press conference. “When you play well, it's easy, but here, I managed to win even when I was a little less good,” he was satisfied.
– “Huge satisfaction” for Mannarino –
In the event of victory in the 2nd round, Humbert could find world No.2 Carlos Alcaraz in the round of 16, as long as the latter beats Chilean Nicolas Jarry (N.37).
Exempted from the first round, Alcaraz said he was “ready to achieve a good result” at Bercy, “or at least to go further than last year”, where he was beaten in the 2nd round.
At the start of the evening, the 11th world player Stefanos Tsitsipas had to work hard to overcome the Spaniard Roberto Carballes (N.54), finally defeated 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Semi-finalist at Bercy in 2022 and 2023 and headliner of this first day, the Greek will play his 2nd round against the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (N.22).
In the 2nd round, Rinderknech will face the Pole Hubert Hurkacz (N.15) or the American Alex Michelsen (N.44), while Mannarino will face the Belgian Zizou Bergs (N.65) or the veteran Richard Gasquet (38 years old, N.133), who is participating for the 17th and last time in the Masters 1000 in Paris before his retirement announced for 2025.
Winner 6-3, 7-5 of Tommy Paul, Adrian Mannarino “(knew) that it was going to be a very difficult match. I was on a wire”, he commented after his victory, his voice covered by a standing ovation from the audience.
“It’s a huge satisfaction to come out like that in the 2nd set, avoiding drawing too much” on his reserves, said the 36-year-old player.
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