Alexander Zverev has had a stellar week at the Paris Rolex Masters, where he is set to face France’s Ugo Humbert in the final after a commanding season that has lifted him to World No. 2. This marks Zverev’s return to the second-highest ATP ranking spot, surpassing Carlos Alcaraz, and will give him a strategic advantage in the ATP Finals draw as he won’t face World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the group stage. With this latest ranking boost and his impressive form, Zverev is once again a dominant force on the men’s tour.
The fast indoor courts in Turin for the ATP Finals favor Zverev’s game, and he has proven himself on this surface before, clinching the year-end title in 2021 by defeating Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. In the lead-up to Turin, Zverev’s performance in Paris has showcased his resilience. This season, he has maintained a high level of consistency, winning the Rome Masters in the spring and reaching the French Open final. However, a few unexpected losses and lingering effects of pneumonia—contracted after the Laver Cup—have prevented Zverev from reaching his absolute peak.
Zverev remains cautiously optimistic about his health, acknowledging that his recovery is still in progress. “I feel okay. I feel fine,” he explained in his press conference. “Doctors told me, you’ll gradually get together, but to be back at 100% will take a few months… But the fast court here [in Paris] is maybe helping me a little bit.” Following the Paris Masters, he’ll undergo further testing in Berlin to monitor his recovery.
Despite being on the mend, Zverev has continued to notch impressive victories, including his win over Holger Rune in the semifinals, marking his 65th ATP victory of the season—equaling Sinner’s total. Though Zverev has leapfrogged Alcaraz in the rankings, he humbly acknowledged that the Spanish star and Sinner, who claimed two Grand Slam titles this year, have had the best seasons on tour. “I surpass him in the ranking, but he has won Wimbledon and Roland Garros, huge titles. They are still the best two players in the world, from my point of view,” Zverev said.
His opponent in the Paris final, Ugo Humbert, has been one of the tournament’s standout players, thrilling the French crowd with his performance. Humbert’s run included a victory over Alcaraz in the round of 16 and a hard-fought semifinal win against Karen Khachanov, who criticized Humbert’s conduct on court. Despite these challenges, Humbert has proven to be a formidable player on his home turf, and the final against Zverev promises to be an intense clash.
The Paris Masters final is a significant opportunity for Zverev to cap his year with a major win and set a strong tone for 2025, where he aims to finally capture an elusive Grand Slam title. As Zverev heads to Turin, he’ll bring the confidence of a renewed top-2 ranking, a deep well of experience on indoor courts, and the grit that has driven him through a challenging yet rewarding season.
