Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev powered into the quarter-finals of the Paris Masters on Thursday, October 30, setting the stage for thrilling battles as the ATP season nears its climax.
Sinner, the four-time Grand Slam champion, displayed dominant form in a 7-5, 6-1 win over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. The victory means the Italian is now just three wins away from reclaiming the world number one ranking, following Carlos Alcaraz’s shock early exit to Britain’s Cameron Norrie.
“Today I felt like the first set was very crucial,” Sinner said after the match. “Francisco is a very talented player, so I had to raise my level in the second set. I’m very happy to be in the quarter-finals here for the first time.”
The 23-year-old Italian edged a tight first set filled with four consecutive service breaks before seizing the momentum by breaking Cerundolo at 6-5. From there, Sinner accelerated through the second set, racing into a 5-1 lead and closing the match confidently.
He now faces US fifth seed Ben Shelton in the last eight. The powerful American booked his place by defeating Russia’s Andrey Rublev 7-6 (8/6), 6-3. Shelton’s progress also confirmed his debut qualification for the ATP Finals in Turin next month.
“It’s been a long season with highs and lows, but reaching Turin shows the hard work has paid off,” Shelton said.
Defending champion Alexander Zverev joined Sinner in the quarter-finals after a composed 6-2, 6-4 victory over Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The German third seed, who has been consistent throughout the season, next faces Daniil Medvedev in what promises to be a fiercely contested encounter.
“Daniil is somebody I know extremely well,” Zverev said. “He beats me most of the time — he’s a bit like my kryptonite.”
Medvedev, the 2020 Paris Masters champion, advanced after overcoming Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego in three sets. Their upcoming clash will mark the third meeting between Zverev and Medvedev at this tournament, with the Russian winning both prior encounters.
Elsewhere, Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik continued his fine run with a 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 upset over US fourth seed Taylor Fritz. Bublik will face Australia’s Alex de Minaur next, after the sixth seed breezed past Russia’s Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-2.
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime also moved into the last eight, rallying from a set down for the third consecutive match to defeat Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. The ninth seed remains in contention for an ATP Finals berth, with his hopes hinging on surpassing Lorenzo Musetti in the rankings.
The Paris Masters quarter-finals are now set to feature a captivating lineup of form players, each seeking momentum ahead of the season-ending championships in Turin. With the top ranking and final ATP Finals spots still up for grabs, Friday’s matches promise high drama and world-class tennis.