Ugo Humbert’s stunning victory over Carlos Alcaraz at the Rolex Paris Masters sent shockwaves through the tennis world. The French No. 15 seed rallied from a set down to defeat the reigning Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 in a thrilling encounter that lasted over two hours.
Humbert, who had lost to Alcaraz twice in 2022, started the match with a bang, dominating the first set with his aggressive baseline play. Alcaraz, who had been in scintillating form since winning the US Open, struggled to find his rhythm and won just one game in the opening set.
However, the Spaniard showed his resilience in the second set, breaking Humbert’s serve twice to level the match. The third set was a tense affair, with both players trading breaks. Humbert eventually broke Alcaraz’s serve in the 12th game to seal the victory and send the home crowd into raptures.
The win was a major upset, as Alcaraz had been the heavy favorite coming into the match. It was also a significant victory for Humbert, who had been struggling for form in recent months. The Frenchman will now face Jordan Thompson in the quarterfinals, who upset No. 7 seed Casper Ruud in the previous round.
Alcaraz’s defeat was a setback in his bid to finish the season as world No. 1. However, the Spaniard remains in contention for the year-end top spot and will be looking to bounce back at the ATP Finals in Turin next week.
