Stefanos Tsitsipas Secures Turin Spot with Dominant Victory Over Zverev at Paris Masters

In a thrilling big-serving showdown, the seventh-seeded Greek, Stefanos Tsitsipas, outclassed Alexander Zverev with a score of 7-6(2), 6-4 at the French ATP Masters 1000 event on Thursday.

Tsitsipas unleashed an impressive display of 37 winners, including 10 aces, to notch his 50th tour-level win of the season and, in doing so, secured his spot at the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.

With this one-hour and 59-minute victory, Tsitsipas improved his head-to-head record against Zverev to 9-4. The 25-year-old, who reached the semi-finals in Paris in 2022, is now set to face Karen Khachanov after the 16th seed overcame qualifier Roman Safiullin with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Expressing his elation, Tsitsipas said, “It’s awesome. What a great relief to finally get that spot. I’ve been working extremely hard the whole year to be in Turin, and it’s a moment of relief that I’ve made it to one of my favorite events of the year. I get the opportunity to play in front of my Italian fans, but also get some Greek people in.”

He added, “I’m thrilled to be playing good tennis. I’m humbled in victory now and I really want to keep going strong and show some of my potential out there on the Bercy court.”

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After a strong start to the season, Tsitsipas faced a challenging period in recent months. Since winning his 10th ATP Tour title in Los Cabos in August, he posted a 4-6 record. However, his semi-final appearances in Antwerp and Vienna in the lead-up to this week’s Masters 1000 event in the French capital signaled a return to form.

Tsitsipas got off to a rapid start on Thursday at Accor Arena, securing a 5-2 lead thanks to a break of Zverev’s serve in the second game. While Zverev made a comeback in the set, Tsitsipas held his composure and clinched the tie-break to take the lead.

Zverev was left to lament another service lapse early in the second set, as Tsitsipas broke in the first game and held onto his lead while serving out without facing another break point. This victory marked Tsitsipas’ first Top 10 win of the season, providing a much-needed boost as he pursues his third Masters 1000 crown ahead of his journey to Turin.

Despite his disappointment in defeat, Zverev remains in a strong position to join Tsitsipas in the Nitto ATP Finals lineup. The German holds the seventh position in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin, maintaining a 340-point cushion over the ninth-placed Hubert Hurkacz. However, both Hurkacz and eighth-placed Holger Rune are still contenders in the Paris draw.