Already winner of two ATP 500s and six titles on the big circuit, the elderly French leader, currently 18th in the world, is having his most complete season at 26 and has the means to topple the Alexander Zverev mountain.
It's last year's revenge
Last year, Jérémy Chardy's student pushed Alexander Zverev to his limits in an incandescent atmosphere. The German won in the 2nd round after the suspense in 3h30 of play 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 (5). “Last year, when I played Zverev, it was probably the best experience I had on court, Messin assured this week. In terms of atmosphere, it was fabulous. As soon as I made a point, I saw them standing. In the end, I went so far and it was so incredible that when I got to the locker room, I passed out.”
Humbert likes to play big
Confident of his strengths on a fast surface that he likes, the Lorraine is at ease against the best. He is now at 5 wins for 5 losses against members of the top 5 in the world. He had already defeated, at the beginning of 2022, Daniil Medvedev, then number 2 in the ATP. “He’s not afraid to play the best. He's not impressed, assure son coach. Ugo enters the court telling himself that he has just as good a chance of winning. His game is annoying. He takes risks and the best people don't like to be attacked. That's why he beats them. » The left-hander has already pinned Zverev on his hunt, during their first clash on the pitch in Halle, in 2021.
Humbert undefeated at home indoor
Besides the fact that he almost never loses in the final (seven played, six won), the French number one is undefeated in France with a roof over his head for thirteen matches (title in Metz in 2023, then in Marseille in February) . At Bercy, he notably brought down Carlos Alcarazen in the round of 16. A choice performance and an impressive record which contrasts with Messin's results on the clay at Roland Garros, where he only won one match in six appearances in the big draw…
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Zverev regains his best ranking, Humbert close to the top 10
Whatever happens in the final, the German will return to number 2 in the ATP rankings on Monday. “I'm delighted to be in this position again because there was no guarantee that I would reach this level again”he declared. After his serious ankle injury in 2022, the Hamburg native, Olympic champion in Tokyo in 2021 and double winner of the Masters (2018 and 2021), is getting closer to the top even if he has still not won a Grand title Slam… In 2024, Humbert flirted with the top 10. A goal which turned into «l’obsession»according to him, when he won the ATP 500 in Dubai, after winning in Marseille, becoming 13th in the world, his best ranking to date. He could knock on the door of the top 10 again by becoming 11th on Monday, if he is crowned at Bercy.
First counter experiment
The French leader discovers, at the age of 26, this stage of competition in these most prestigious tournaments behind the Grand Slams. Gaël Monfils is the last to have reached this stage in Monte-Carlo in 2016 (defeat against Nadal). Humbert becomes only the eighth French player to reach the Masters 1000 final, after Forget, Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Monfils, Cédric Pioline, Grosjean and Gilles Simon. A habit for Zverev. At 26, he is aiming for a seventh Masters 1000 title, the second in 2024 after Rome. He has already played a final in the Parisian hall: behind closed doors in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, he lost to the Russian Daniil Medvedev in 2020 (5-7, 6-4, 6-1).
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