Bercy, last stop before Turin… and La Défense: the Paris Masters 1000, last serious chance to win one of the four remaining tickets for the Masters, begins Monday for the last time in the east of the capital, before the move to Nanterre in 2025.
World No.1 Jannik Sinner and his runner-up Carlos Alcaraz are the main headliners of the tournament, in the absence of seven-time winner at Bercy and defending champion Novak Djokovic (N.4).
Between his two Grand Slam victories and the doping affair in which he is entangled, “the season was long”admitted the Italian on Saturday at a press conference.
“But I’m happy to be here, it’s a tournament where I haven’t managed to find my best tennis so far, I’m curious to see what I can do this year”he continued.
More than Paris, Sinner’s priority at the end of the season is the Turin Masters (November 10-17), recalled the Italian.
Four of the eight tickets are still to be filled for this final meeting and, apart from Djokovic, all the contenders for the masters tournament are present in Paris.
The battle for the Turin Masters is a “huge carrot”, which “will add excitement” at the Masters 1000 in Paris, its director Cédric Pioline anticipated on Friday.
Frenchman Ugo Humbert during the final of the Tokyo tournament on October 1, 2024 in Tokyo / Philip FONG / AFP
Exempted from the first round, Sinner will begin his tournament against the winner of the duel between the French Corentin Moutet (N.70), from qualifying, and the American Ben Shelton, who will go from N.23 to N.19 in the world on Monday thanks to his final in Basel on Sunday, lost to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (who will go from N.50 to N.31 on Monday).
Before heading west to move to La Défense Arena in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) in 2025, the last edition of the tournament at Bercy must be a “tennis party”argued Cédric Pioline.
A little more than 11,500 spectators — around 5,000 more than in 2023 — attended qualifying on Saturday and Sunday, a large crowd « record » according to the organizers. The stands of the central court at Bercy can accommodate around 15,000.
“A page turns”
For the French N.1 Ugo Humbert (who will move from N.16 to N.18 on Monday), the Parisian room offers “the best atmosphere of the year”. “It’s a little sad that it’s the last one” opus of the tournament in Bercy, “but I will try to make the most of it”he declared on Sunday at a press conference.
His compatriot Arthur Fils (N.20) on the other hand tried to play down the issue. “I’m happy to play in Paris, that’s clear, but I try to take it like a normal tournament”said the recent winner of the ATP 500 in Tokyo on Sunday.
The 39th edition of the tournament will feel even more like a farewell for French veteran Richard Gasquet (38), who will retire after the next edition of Roland-Garros.
“This is not my last tournament. But already, it’s a page that is turning”said the Biterrois resident on Friday, shortly after making the draw.
Semi-finalist at Bercy in 2007, the 133rd in the world will enter the fray against the Italian Flavio Cobolli (N.32). Playing the Masters 1000 in Paris for the last time, “it’s a lot of joy and a little stress”summarized Richard Gasquet at the dawn of his 17th participation.
Winner on Sunday in Basel of his first ATP 500, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will face the American Frances Tiafoe (N.17 Monday) in the first round.
Ugo Humbert will play against the American Brandon Nakashima (N.37), a first round within his reach before a possible prestigious round of 16 against Carlos Alcaraz.
The Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarter-finals of the Basel tournament on October 25, 2024 in Basel / Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP/Archives
“He’s a good player who has progressed well this year, with a great serve”underlined Humbert on Sunday. “We played each other twice (Humbert’s victories at Wimbledon and Tokyo 2024, Editor’s note), I know he is very dangerous”he is wary.
Emerging victorious from the two qualifying rounds, Corentin Moutet and Quentin Halys (N.90) brought the French contingent in the final draw to eight players on Sunday.
