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Alcaraz fresh and fired up in Paris: 'This year is totally different'

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2025

Carlos Alcaraz has yet to lift the trophy at the Rolex Paris Masters, but the World No. 1 believes this year could be the turning point.

After being forced to withdraw from Shanghai and taking more than three weeks off to heal his left ankle, Alcaraz arrives in Paris feeling refreshed — and, by his own admission, in better shape than ever at this stage of the season.

“Obviously I didn’t want to withdraw from Shanghai. It’s a really important tournament for me and for the players,” Alcaraz said in his pre-tournament press conference on Saturday in Paris. “But I had to heal my body, and I think I wasn’t ready to play another tournament in a row. So I just preferred to come back home, recover the ankle, and try to be in good shape for this time of the year.

“I think we could see last year, two years ago, that I’m not coming fresh to this time of the year. So I really wanted to put more attention on that, being in good shape, practising well, and coming here, thinking that I can do a really good result. So right now, physically I’m feeling good. I just practised well, hitting the ball really well.”

Alcaraz owns a 5-4 record in Paris, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, with his best result a quarter-final finish in 2022, when he fell to eventual champion Holger Rune. While indoor courts have traditionally posed a challenge, the 22-year-old Spaniard made a breakthrough earlier this year by capturing his first indoor title in Rotterdam.

This week, players have noticed the court speed at the new venue — La Défense Arena — has slowed, a change Alcaraz welcomes.

“This year is totally different than last year. I think it is a huge difference, which I like,” Alcaraz said with a smile. “The speed of the court is much slower than last year, but I think it is a really good speed that we can see tennis, not only serve and serve plus one; you can see rallies, you can see points, you can see tennis.

“I’ve said many times that I like slower courts, not that fast. This tournament is not my best one in terms of results, but I love playing here. I’m not really used to playing indoors, but year after year, I think I’m getting more used to it. So we will see this year. Hopefully [I] go farther than previous years.”

Alcaraz opens his campaign against either Cameron Norrie or Sebastian Baez and could face Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals. Already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals, he is aiming to strengthen his push to reclaim ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours for the second time.

Alcaraz leads rival Jannik Sinner, who faces Alexander Zverev in the Vienna final on Sunday, by more than 2,000 points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Alcaraz and Sinner have met in the final of the past five tournaments in which they have both featured.

As for his form indoors, Alcaraz remains realistic but optimistic.

“I wouldn’t say I’m bad [at] playing indoors. I think other players are better than me indoors,” added Alcaraz. “It’s a huge difference saying that. I see myself practising, playing matches that I can play really good tennis.

“But obviously there are some matches that I played against some that are playing much, much better indoors than I do. So I have to be ready for that, but I think I will get good tennis on indoor [courts].”

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Zverev sets Sinner final in Vienna after earning Musetti revenge

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2025

By gaining one measure of revenge Saturday at the Erste Bank Open, Alexander Zverev set up a chance for another in the Vienna final.

In a battle of Top 10 players in the PIF ATP Rankings, Zverev beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 7-5, improving to 2-3 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head and flipping the result from their Vienna quarter-final meeting last year. Seeking his second trophy at the ATP 500 (2021), the German will next face Jannik Sinner in a rematch of this year’s Australian Open title match, won by Sinner in straight sets.

After entering Vienna with a shoulder issue and winning a third-set tie-break against Jacob Fearnley in the opening round, Zverev has not lost another set this week in Vienna.

“I found a little bit of confidence in my body and myself a little bit,” the German said. “I felt like today was a good match. Happy with the win and happy to be in the final playing against Jannik now.”

Zverev leads Sinner 4-3 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head. The rivals have not met since their Australian Open final.

“I feel like that’s mostly my fault because he’s been pretty much in every single final possible,” Zverev said with a laugh. “I haven’t. It’s going to be a great challenge. I’m looking forward to it, playing one of the two best players in the world, seeing where my level really is.”

Zverev’s semi-final victory was his 300th hard-court win at tour-level, making him just the eighth active player to reach that milestone. His record on the surface now stands at 300-134.

The second seed reached his second Vienna final with a crisp performance, firing nine aces and winning 83 per cent of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. He did not face a break point.

Musetti missed out on a chance to further cement his position in eighth place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. He leads Felix Auger-Aliassime by 420 points for the final qualifying spot for the Nitto ATP Finals.

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Wawrinka in emotional post: 'I love the process of always pushing my own limits'

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2025

Stan Wawrinka made an emotional post on his social media channels Friday, bringing fans into his mindset pushing forward aged 40 on the ATP Tour.

“PASSION – A strong liking, desire, or devotion to an activity. When I started playing tennis at 8 years old, it was just a game. Then it became my passion. My dream was to one day became a professional tennis player,” Wawrinka wrote. “I know that as an athlete, people like to think they know when it’s time for your to stop. People believe that when you get older, when you don’t play at the same level, don’t have the same ranking or same result, you should stop.”

The former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings wrote that as much as he likes to compete and to win, it is not always about that. It is moreso about testing himself.

“Passion is not always about the results – it’s about pushing your limits,” Wawrinka, World No. 158 this week, said. “I’m ok not to win a Grand Slam anymore. I’m ok with not being Top 10 anymore. But I love the process of always pushing my own limits.”

Wawrinka, who reached the second round at his home ATP 500 event in Basel, has enjoyed an illustrious career so far. The Swiss star has won three major championships, 16 tour-level titles and 581 tour-level matches.

To him, age is not most important. It is his passion.

“I know the end of my career will come one day, but until then, I will always give my best fight, Wawrinka wrote. “To all the fans around the world who support me, to the fans in Basel this week – THANK YOU.

“It means the world to me. That’s why I keep pushing myself.”

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Fonseca fires into first ATP 500 final in Basel

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2025

Joao Fonseca ticked off another glittering milestone in his breakout 2025 season on Saturday at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

The 19-year-old overcame a topsy-turvy semi-final clash with Jaume Munar to prevail 7-6(4), 7-5 and reach his first ATP 500 final. Fonseca rallied from a 2-4 deficit in the second set and fired 39 winners en route to becoming the first Brazilian to reach a final at this level since the series’ introduction in 2009.

“I knew that it was going to be a tough match, Jaume is playing [well] on this surface,” said Fonseca. “He’s putting a lot of pressure, and you need to defend a lot of the time. I don’t like playing against those guys because I like to play aggressive and go for winners.

“I’m happy with how I stayed mentally after an early break in the second set. I’m very happy, so let’s stay hyped for the final.”

Fonseca will have the chance to add a second ATP Tour trophy to his collection when he takes on Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Sunday’s final at the indoor hard-court event. The #NextGenATP star triumphed in Buenos Aires in February for his first trophy.

With his victory, Fonseca is up 12 spots to No. 34 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, ensuring a new career high on Monday.

“It’s been an amazing year, starting at No. 130 in the world, now 40-something and into a first ATP 500 final,” said Fonseca, who is 24-15 on the year, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. “We didn’t go to Asia this year, I was a little bit sick. I was working with my mentality and I’m getting the opportunities… I’m just very happy to be here.”

It All Adds Up

Fonseca defeated defending champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round and has since displayed a consistent level this week. But he saved his best for a scintillating semi-final outing against Munar, despite trailing by a break in the second set.

The fearless shotmaking that has become a defining feature of the Brazilian’s rise was on full display throughout the one-hour, 56-minute clash, after which he improved to 1-0 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Munar.

Davidovich Fokina advanced to the final later on Saturday when Ugo Humbert retired with the Spaniard leading 7-6(4), 3-1. The eighth seed is the fifth man to reach four tour-level finals this season, joining Carlos Alcaraz (10), Jannik Sinner (8), Felix Auger-Aliassime (4) and Alexander Bublik (4).

The lone seeded player in the Basel semi-finals, Davidovich Fokina is the second Spanish finalist in tournament history, after Rafael Nadal in 2015. He will seek his first tour-level trophy in his fifth final, having missed out on three championship points in his most recent title match, against Alex de Minaur in Washington.

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Vienna finalist Sinner becomes first since Djokovic to achieve this feat…

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2025

Another tournament, another final for Jannik Sinner.

The No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings swept past Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 Saturday to reach the championship match at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. By making his eighth final of the year, the Italian became the first man to reach that many finals in back-to-back seasons since Novak Djokovic in 2015-16.

“[I] came here quite late to the tournament, tried to take every day in the best possible way and I’m happy to be here in the final,” Sinner said in his post-match interview. “It was not easy to [reach] the final here, so I’m very happy.”

Sinner entered the semi-finals having not faced a break point in his first three matches at the ATP 500. Although the Italian lost serve twice against the Australian, he never panicked and set a clash for the trophy against second seed Alexander Zverev or fourth seed Lorenzo Musetti.

It was always going to be a tough test for De Minaur, who walked on court with an 0-11 Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Sinner. When the top seed broke in his first return game of the match, it was clear De Minaur had a big mountain to climb.

“[I was] trying to play some good tennis, trying to serve very well. The first set was very physical, so I’m happy that I won in two sets today,” Sinner said. “He changed a couple of things, which I was ready for today.

“I don’t want to say [what]. He knows. He knows for sure. He knows what to do, how to put [me] under pressure and the moment when you don’t serve very well, you have to play every ball and every point. He can get very physical, he changed up with the slice a bit with also the slice down the line today and opening the court. Many small things he has changed.”

It All Adds Up

The third seed produced some stunning shotmaking and used his blazing speed to try to fend off Sinner and his unrelenting power baseline game. But the Australian struggled to do enough damage with his serve, winning only 52 per cent of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“Generally I’m happy how I handled [the match]. I was a break up in the second, broke him back, tried to stay there mentally,” Sinner said. “Very happy about today’s performance and always happy again to be in the final.”

Without facing that pressure, Sinner was able to swing freely to work his way into another final. After winning titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and Beijing this season, he will try to add another trophy to his collection Sunday.

Sinner has made the final in eight of the 10 tournaments he has played in 2025, with the only exceptions being Halle and Shanghai. The 24-year-old is also trying to keep alive his hopes of earning ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours, with Carlos Alcaraz in firm control of that battle.

Sinner has not lost a set this year in Vienna and now owns a 16-4 record at the tournament. He lifted the trophy in his most recent appearance, in 2023.

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Dimitrov is 'back with the boys' in highly anticipated Paris return from injury

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2025

You can’t wipe the smile off Grigor Dimitrov’s face these days.

After three long months on the sidelines due to a pectoral injury, the 34-year-old Bulgarian is finally back in action at the Rolex Paris Masters this week — and you can feel his relief radiating throughout La Défense Arena.

“There are a lot of good and mixed feelings in the most positive way, but it’s nice to be back with the boys and starting to challenge each other again,” Dimitrov told ATPTour.com. “It’s been a good week for me so far, trying to get as many hours as possible on the court because this is what I’ve craved. At the same time, I’m also trying to keep things at the most basic stuff.

“Of course, my goal is coming back to full force next year, but it’s a great challenge for me right now just to see how the body will respond.”

Dimitrov’s last appearance was at Wimbledon, where he produced some of his most inspired tennis to forge a two-sets-to-love lead against then-World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in the fourth round. He seemed destined for the quarter-finals, but it was heartbreak all over again, with the Bulgarian suffering his fifth consecutive exit at a major through retirement.

The sight of his tears said more than any press conference could. But as he returns to the bright lights in Paris, where he reached the final in 2023, Dimitrov is back to his joyous self.

The former No. 3 player in the PIF ATP Rankings practised with good friend Andrey Rublev on Friday night and then returned less than 12 hours later to train with Francisco Cerundolo.

“I’ve always loved these last tournaments of the year,” said Dimitrov, the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion. “Overall, I’m not trying to overthink anything right now, just trying to be as kind as possible to me, to my body, and to test myself to really see what else I need to be working on, especially coming into the next season.”

It All Adds Up

Whether it be physical or otherwise, Dimitrov is hoping for a week free of pain. But the emotions will run high regardless. He will take to the doubles court alongside five-time major winner Nicolas Mahut, who is playing the final tournament of his career.

For both men, it promises to be a poignant chapter. One making an anticipated return to ATP Tour action, the other taking his final bow.

“We always wanted to do a few double sessions together throughout the last years, but I was honestly never really able to commit,” Dimitrov said of Mahut. “It was the right time. It was the last tournament for him and it made sense. I have a very sentimental relationship with him.

“For so many years, we played against each other. We competed more than once on such a big occasion. So it’s safe to say that it’s a good ending for him.”

In his singles bid, Dimitrov faces a stern opening test against big-serving Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. The Bulgarian, however, boasts a 24-12 tournament record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, which includes that spirited 2023 run.

Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain: Grigor Dimitrov is back where he belongs — smiling, competing and writing another chapter in his story.

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Masters of Paris: Where ATP No. 1 Club members shine

  • Posted: Oct 24, 2025

From the thunderous serves of Boris Becker and graceful volleys of Stefan Edberg in the 1980s and 1990s, to the relentless baseline dominance of today’s ATP Tour stars like Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, the Rolex Paris Masters has long been a proving ground for ATP No. 1 Club members.

Since the tournament welcomed a new identity in 1986, nine different ATP No. 1 Club members have combined for 21 trophies at the indoor hard-court event. This year, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will be among the favourites to join that elite list.

Djokovic, whose 428 total weeks atop the PIF ATP Rankings leads the ATP No. 1 Club, owns a record seven titles at the tournament. His most recent Paris triumph, in 2023, marked his record-extending 40th Masters 1000 crown. “This win is definitely one of the most special wins in the Masters 1000 category,” the Serbian said at the time.

Medvedev is among the ATP No. 1 Club members in the Paris field this year and the 29-year-old is in form following a title run in Almaty, his first trophy in more than two years. The 21-time tour-level titlist won Paris in 2020, staging a remarkable comeback in the final against Alexander Zverev. Trailing 5-7, 3-4, Medvedev won nine of the last 10 games to turn the match — and his season — around.

“Before the tournament I was not in my best form, playing not so bad with zero finals this year,” said Medvedev, who carried his momentum into the Nitto ATP Finals and won the year-end event two weeks later. “I was actually crying to my wife — not crying — but just complaining, ‘Oh my God, I don’t have the level, I don’t even have one final, I’m playing so bad’, bla bla bla… So finally, I’m the winner of the Rolex Paris Masters.”

A Paris victory has often foreshadowed success at the season-finale Nitto ATP Finals, Andy Murray demonstrated in 2016. Murray closed the year on a 24-match winning streak, capturing his lone Rolex Paris Masters title — which was also his final Masters 1000 triumph — before defeating Novak Djokovic in the Nitto ATP Finals, a match that decided the ATP Year-End No. 1 crown presented by PIF.

Roger Federer, one of the most accomplished tennis icons with 103 tour-level titles, found Paris a tougher conquest. He won the Rolex Paris Masters just once, in 2011, ending the season on a 17-match winning streak. “I have had many attempts to win Paris and, for some reason, I wasn’t able to. It’s a special victory,” Federer reflected.

The Rolex Paris Masters switched from carpet to hard courts in 2007, but even during the carpet era, conditions favoured heavy-hitting baseliners like Marat Safin, who claimed three of the first five titles of the 21st century (2000, 2002, 2004).

It All Adds Up

Safin also reached the 1999 final but fell to Andre Agassi, who, along with rival Pete Sampras, claimed multiple Paris titles in the 1990s. Agassi completed a rare Paris double in 1999, winning both Roland Garros and the indoor event in November. His first Paris Masters triumph came in 1994.

Sandwiched between Agassi’s Paris triumphs, Sampras captured the title twice. In 1997, Paris marked one of Sampras’ eight tour-level titles that year alone. In 1995, the American claimed Paris by defeating Becker in the final. Becker was the first player to claim three Paris titles (1986, 1989 and 1992).

Edberg’s aggressive game and exceptional net skills helped carry him to the 1990 Paris title. In a rematch of that year’s epic five-set Wimbledon final, the Paris final proved far less dramatic. Becker retired after just six games due to a thigh injury. It was the only retirement in Edberg and Becker’s 35 Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings.

This year’s top two seeds, Alcaraz and Sinner, have yet to triumph at the Rolex Paris Masters. Could the latest edition feature one of them lifting the trophy in a week’s time?

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