The step was too high… Despite good resistance, French No. 1 Ugo Humbert lost on Sunday in the round of 16 of the Australian Open against world No. 2 Alexander Zverev.
After losing against Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, in the round of 16 at Wimbledon in 2019 and 2024, the 26-year-old left-hander lost for the third time at this stage of the Grand Slam competition, with a score of 6-1, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
“Very good chance of entering the top 10”
“Facing this type of player, the slightest dip, the slightest little mistake and the score flies away very quicklyHumbert could only observe. We must learn from this defeat. I have the capabilities to progress. »
The 14the World Cup records his second defeat in a few months against Zverev, who beat him 6-2, 6-2 in the final of the Masters 1000 in Paris at the beginning of November. “He has made a lot of progress in the last two months, However, his tormentor complimented him. I think he has a very good chance of entering the top 10 very soon. When you look at the second set, I doubt anyone will win that set against him. He sometimes returned faster than I served! »
The German will face the American Tommy Paul (11e) in the quarter-finals, in a tournament in which he has reached the semi-finals twice, in 2020 and in 2024.
Knocked out in the third set
Despite his elimination against Zverev, who is looking to win his first Grand Slam title at age 27, Humbert had the best run of his career at the Australian Open. In 2023 and 2024, the Frenchman reached the third round in Melbourne.
After a first set where he conceded three breaks to his opponent, winner of the set 6-1 in twenty-seven minutes, Humbert tightened the game in the second set. The fifth game was extremely tight, with Messin leading 0-40 on Zverev’s serve before seeing the German pull back to 40-40. Humbert finally managed to take his throw on his fifth attempt, before confirming his break to lead 4-2. The Frenchman made a second break straight away to win the second set 6-2.
-Under a temperature that well exceeded 30 degrees, the fight remained balanced until the eighth game of the third round. Trailing 15-40 on his serve, Humbert saved Zverev’s first break point but not the second (5-3). Stunned by this lost game, on the 14the Mondial immediately conceded the set 6-3.
“I’m not going to undermine myself”
In the last set, Zverev took Humbert’s service in the third game (2-1). At 3-2 for the Hamburger, Messin had one last opportunity to break it, nipped in the bud by a winning service (4-2). A final break, confirmed by the German on his serve, sealed the score of the game and the fate of Humbert (6-2).
“I’m not going to undermine myself, the loser commented. I play Zverev, he is one of the best at the moment. Frankly, I handled the fact that I was in the round of 16 well, that I could perhaps qualify for my first quarter. But I lost. Life goes on. »
Monfils plays at 5 a.m. this Monday, January 20
After the defeat of Ugo Humbert, encouraged by a vocal audience in the John Cain Arena, all French hopes in Melbourne now rest on the shoulders of Gaël Monfils, who on Saturday achieved the feat of beating the 4e mondial Taylor Fritz.
Building on this first victory since 2008 against a member of the top 5 in a Grand Slam, the Parisian faces Monday (5 a.m. in France), in the round of 16, a compatriot of Fritz, the American Ben Shelton (20e).
