The French tennis player Ugo Humbert18th player in the world, qualified in the final of the Masters 1000 in Paris Saturday November 2 by beating the Russian Karen Khachanov 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 6-3
This will be the first Masters 1000 final for the French number one. First French finalist since 2016 in this category of tournaments, the most prestigious after the four Grand Slams, the 26-year-old left-hander from Metz will compete for the title with the German Alexander Zverev (3rd) during the last match at Bercy.
Unbreathable from start to finish, the exchange lasting more than 2h30 between Ugo Humbert and Karen Khachanov changed in the seventh game of the last set, when Ugo Humbert managed to take the Russian's serve to lead 4-3, service to follow.
A few moments earlier, Karen Khachanov had called on a trainer to massage his right thigh then he showed himself to be significantly less mobile in the last two games, won easily by Humbert (6-3).
“I’m proud of myself”
In the first set, Ugo Humbert, who was playing his first Masters 1000 semi-final on center court, managed to overcome two breaks behind to push Khachanov to the tie-break. But as during the rest of the set, Humbert multiplied the unforced errors, wasting a three-point advantage (5-2) to finally lose the decisive game 8-6.
More aggressive and more precise in an equally tight second round, the Frenchman managed to steal Khachanov's throw-in to lead 3-2. But the Russian did not give up, saving two set points before his opponent converted the third (6-4). “I missed some opportunities in the first set, quite a few fairly easy attack shots“, commented Ugo Humbert after the meeting. “But I said to myself 'you're going to have to fight until the end' and that's what I did so I'm proud of myself”, welcomed the Frenchman.
“I hope it’s going to be a cauldron tomorrow” for the final against Zverev, he added. “I will give everything to snatch victory“, he launched to a won over audience.
Read more
