The main
draw for the
Paris Masters has been set with
Jannik Sinner and
Carlos Alcaraz
as the top favorites in a draw featuring nearly all top-20 players, with the
only exception being Novak Djokovic, who recently announced his withdrawal.
Without the
24-time Grand Slam champion, the main beneficiary is
Daniil Medvedev, now
seeded 4th, who avoids a clash with Sinner, Alcaraz, or Zverev at least until
the semifinals. Below are the projected quarters.
First
Quarter
Led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, this quarter appears to feature several
potential surprises in terms of competitors. The Italian has been nearly
unbeatable all season, boasting seven titles and a significant points lead over
No. 2 Alcaraz. However, he faces a challenging opening match against the winner
of Ben Shelton and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
If Sinner
advances, he could face a potential showdown with Holger Rune (13th seed),
though Matteo Arnaldi or Alexander Bublik also have the potential to progress
and challenge him. The
second-highest seed in this quarter is
Taylor Fritz. The US Open runner-up
awaits the winner of Jack Draper and Jiri Lehecka, with Alex De Minaur also
posing a notable threat.
- Projected Quarter: Jannik Sinner (1) – Taylor
Fritz (5)
- Possible Surprises: Ben Shelton, Jack Draper,
Alex De Minaur
Second
Quarter
World No. 3
Alexander Zverev is the favorite in this portion of the draw,
facing opponents on paper with fewer credentials than those in the first
quarter. He’ll debut against either Luciano Darderi or Tallon Griekspoor and
could potentially face Lorenzo Musetti (16th) or Arthur Fils in later rounds.
Andrey
Rublev leads the bottom half of this quarter, with a potential debut against
Francisco Cerundolo and a possible Round of 16 clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The Russian is a strong favorite to reach the quarterfinals.
- Projected Quarter: Alexander Zverev – Andrey
Rublev
- Possible Surprises: Arthur Fils, Lorenzo Musetti,
Stefanos Tsitsipas
Alexander Zverev at 2024 US Open.
Third
Quarter
Daniil Medvedev and
Grigor Dimitrov are the top seeds here. Medvedev will start
against the winner of Matteo Berrettini and Alexei Popyrin, both of whom could
pose challenges for the former world No. 1, although the Russian’s consistency
should still make him the favorite.
For
Dimitrov, a potential matchup with Tomas Martin Etcheverry or Zhizhen Zhang
awaits. Hubert Hurkacz could also come through in this quarter; while not in
top form, Paris might be the ideal setting for a resurgence, especially if his
powerful serve is on display.
- Projected Quarter: Daniil Medvedev – Grigor
Dimitrov
- Possible Surprises: Hubert Hurkacz, Frances
Tiafoe, Matteo Berrettini, Karen Khachanov
Fourth
Quarter
Carlos Alcaraz appears to have received a favorable draw. He awaits an
inconsistent Nicolas Jarry, who, since reaching the final at the Rome Open, has
only won two of his last twelve matches. Nonetheless, the Chilean has beaten
Alcaraz before, and if inspired, he could be a tricky opening-round opponent.
Later rounds could see him face either Ugo Humbert or Brandon Nakashima.
On the
other side,
Casper Ruud is the top-ranked player, though his recent lack of
form makes it challenging to predict whether he’ll make the quarterfinals.
Possible clashes with Jordan Thompson and then Tommy Paul present substantial
tests for the Norwegian as he seeks to regain his form.
- Projected
Quarter: Carlos Alcaraz – Casper Ruud
- Possible Surprises: Tommy Paul, Brandon
Nakashima, Ugo Humbert