The GOAT returns as Novak Djokovic, as soon as once more the primary participant on the planet, gears up for his year-end slate of tournaments, making an look on the 2023 Rolex Paris Masters. His latest rival, world quantity two Carlos Alcaraz, anchors the underside of the 2023 Rolex Paris Masters draw, establishing a possible collision within the closing.
Djokovic has rested since successful the 2023 US Open. Alcaraz performed a lightweight schedule in Asia, shedding in tournaments to Jannik Sinner and Grigor Dimitrov. Each gamers are grappling with how greatest to handle the grueling tennis schedule, however the comforts of large prize cash and endorsements in 2023 actually take the sting off.
Paris Masters Draw: Djokovic Quarter
The highest eight gamers obtain byes within the Paris Masters draw, so Djokovic will meet the winner of fellow Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic and Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry, each high quality if not elite gamers.
Paris is a quick indoor, low bouncing courtroom. Djokovic usually does properly right here due to his superior health. His legs maintain up deep into matches. Novak has emerged from the Paris Masters Draw as a champion a surprising six occasions.
Djokovic might probably face a string of gifted gamers on the way in which to a quarterfinal, however they’ve but to show irksome for the GOAT. These gamers embody Chris Eubanks, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz. The one seeming hurdle can be Holger Rune, who famously beat Djokovic within the closing of this occasion final 12 months. Nevertheless, Rune has been hampered by again issues and is making teaching modifications.
A possible upset to shake up this quarter can be Arthur Fils. The trendy 19-year-old Frenchman is beginning to hone his energy sport, and inspiring outcomes on the ATP’s fall swing underscore his potential.
Paris Masters Draw: Sinner Quarter
Jannik Sinner has a positive 2023 Paris Masters Draw, which he’ll want after going deep the earlier week in Vienna. This part is riddled with qualifiers. His greatest nuisance can be Alex de Minaur, who’s had a subpar fall. As traditional, Andrey Rublev has been taking part in till he drops. It is a good floor for him, however he gained’t be a favourite resulting from his schedule.
French favorites on this bracket embody Richard Gasquet and Adrian Mannarino, however their video games lack the rising polish of Sinner’s, supplied the Italian can get better from an extended slog within the earlier event.
Paris Masters Draw: Medvedev Quarter
This part of the draw is probably the most flashy, with some actually high-quality early matchups. Residence crowd favourite Gael Monfils faces the brilliantly constant Francisco Cerundolo in Spherical 1. They’ve solely met as soon as, with Cerundolo beating Monfils on the 2022 Miami Open.
In a server’s delight, Nicolas Jarry vs. Alexei Popyrin is the first-round match of alternative. Sebastian Korda vs. Hubert Hurkacz is an all-star contest as properly. Daniil Medvedev is the highest seed on this tough quarter, and since he went deep this previous week in Vienna, he’s not a favourite to come back by.
Paris Masters Draw: Alcaraz Quarter
The query du jour for the 2023 Rolex Paris Masters is what’s the state of play for Carlos Alcaraz? The Wimbledon champ appears drained. He’s reportedly coping with plantar fasciitis, amongst different minor accidents. Alcaraz’s now-famous rivalry with Djokovic stands at 2-2.
Alcaraz should think twice about the way to handle his time on courtroom if he has an inkling of residing as much as the achievements of Djokovic and the opposite members of the Huge 3.
As for the floor, Alcaraz can modify to something, however a tough, low-bouncing courtroom will not be very best for a drained, banged-up physique. The Spaniard might meet Karen Khachanov, Alexander Zverev– or the man he just lately misplaced to– Ugo Humbert on this part of the draw. Any of these conferences can be brutal at this level.
Nonetheless, the teenager is all the time a sport competitor and can relish one other shot at Djokovic.
My gamers to look at:QF: Djokovic, Sinner, Zverev, KordaSF: Djokovic, KordaF: Djokovic
