2023 Rolex Paris Masters Round of 64: Zverev, Hurkacz Advance; Tough Losses for Veterans

The opening spherical on the 2023 Rolex Paris Masters is full and featured a number of aggressive matches as gamers make a last-ditch bid to qualify for the season-ending championships in Turin.

Sascha Zverev is one such participant, and he bolstered his hopes of creating the ATP finals with a hard-fought 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over qualifier Marton Fucsovics.

Hubert Hurkacz sits two spots behind Zverev within the stay race rankings, occupying ninth spot, and he’s into spherical 2 because of a win over Sebastian Korda in a troublesome three-set encounter to additionally maintain his hopes alive.

Alongside youthful Turin hopefuls, there have been early exits for the elder statesmen on tour as Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka each did not convert a match level earlier than struggling powerful losses.

Extra unhealthy information adopted for the veteran class as Richard Gasquet then bowed out to Tommy Paul, additionally failing to transform match factors, with the American saving three of them en path to a third-set tiebreak win.

The one two seeds to fall within the opening spherical had been Frances Tiafoe, who’s in a poor run of kind, and fellow American Ben Shelton, who appeared to be struggling along with his ankle after a busy schedule in latest weeks that began in Tokyo, stopped off in Basel after which led to Paris.

You may see the entire spherical of sixty-four outcomes under.

Spherical of 64 Rolex Paris Masters Outcomes

Winner
Loser
Scoreline

Taylor Fritz (9)
Sebastian Baez
6-1 6-4

Alexander Zverev (10)
Marton Fucsovics (Q)
4-6 7-5 6-4

Hubert Hurkacz (11)
Sebastian Korda
6-3 6-7(6) 6-3

Tommy Paul (12)
Richard Gasquet (WC)
0-6 6-2 7-6(6)

Alex de Minaur (13)
Andy Murray
7-6(5) 4-6 7-5

Alexander Bublik
Frances Tiafoe (14)
6-3 6-4

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina
Ben Shelton (15)
7-6(4) 5-7 6-3

Karen Khachanov (16)
Max Purcell
6-4 6-4

Daniel Altmaier
Arthur Fils
6-2 6-4

Felix Auger-Aliassime
Jan-Lennard Struff
7-6(3) 6-4

Roberto Bautista Agut
Jiri Lehecka
6-4 6-2

Grigor Dimitrov
Lorenzo Musetti
6-2 6-7(4) 6-3

Francisco Cerundolo
Gael Monfils
4-6 7-6(2) 7-5

Laslo Djere
Luca Van Assche (WC)
6-7(6) 6-4 6-4

Tomas Martin Etcheverry
Miomir Kecmanovic
4-6 7-6(6) 6-4

Tallon Griekspoor
Christopher Eubanks
6-7(2) 6-3 6-4

Ugo Humbert
Marcos Giron (Q)
6-4 6-3

Nicolas Jarry
Alexei Popyrin
7-5 7-6(6)

Dusan Lajovic (LL)
Benjamin Bonzi (WC)
7-5 6-3

Mackenzie McDonald
J.J. Wolf (Q)
1-6 6-4 6-2

Yoshihito Nishiokac (Q)
Jordan Thompson (LL)
7-6(5) 4-6 6-2

Roman Safiullin (Q)
Alexandre Muller (WC)
7-6(4) 6-3

Dominic Thiem (Q)
Stan Wawrinka
3-6 6-3 7-5

Botic van de Zandschulp (Q)
Adrian Mannarino
6-4 7-5

Murray But Once more Falls to De Minaur

Andy Murray has been a ‘bogey’ participant for a number of of his opponents through the years, however now he’s on the receiving finish relating to Alex de Minaur.

The Aussie has gained all their six encounters, saving a match level at 4-5 30/40 to defeat the 2016 champion 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-5.

In an inexplicable loss, Murray blew a 5-2 lead within the third set after dominating play, which led to him smashing a racket.

Throughout his post-match press convention, Murray gave a miserable evaluation:

It’s irritating. I’m not likely having fun with it simply now by way of how I really feel on the courtroom and the way I’m enjoying.

The final 5, or six months haven’t been that gratifying, so I must attempt to discover a few of that enjoyment again as a result of enjoying a match like that there’s not a lot positivity there. Once I play a superb level, I’m not likely getting behind myself. Within the vital moments that can to win and battle has all the time been a giant a part of my sport. What occurred at the moment, I don’t bear in mind it taking place earlier than, that’s not likely me. The way in which that I’m feeling and enjoying on the courtroom – I haven’t felt good about my sport for giant elements of this yr.

You clearly need to be seeing progress and feeling such as you’re getting nearer to one thing and I haven’t actually felt like that. There have been a number of small indicators in the summertime over within the States however definitely nothing that’s been sustainable or constant. The previous couple of months it’s been extra like that. I hadn’t actually felt like that up till the previous couple of months.

Typically you play very well in apply and it doesn’t essentially translate onto the match courtroom, however you at the least really feel such as you’re getting someplace. Whereas for probably the most half in apply, it’s not been nice. Quite a lot of frustration there in coaching, and that’s form of carrying over into the matches.

If I need to maintain going, I’m going to wish a variety of work. It’s not simply going to be one or two weeks of coaching to get me to the place I must get to, it’s going to should be a variety of work and constant work to offer myself an opportunity. Murray on his loss to de Minaur.

Thiem Tops Wawrinka

Stan Wawrinka not too long ago revealed he’s felt drained, virtually damaged, in the previous couple of weeks, each mentally and bodily. 

Sadly, issues didn’t enhance for him in Paris as he fell to Dominic Thiem in a poorly scheduled match that ended at 2:30 a.m.

Thiem saved a match level at 3-5 within the third set earlier than successful 4 straight video games for a spot within the second spherical.

The final two years I’ve misplaced extra shut matches than I’ve gained, so this one may be very, essential for me. The tennis has been getting higher since Vienna. I beat two nice guys within the qualies and now Stan in a match after saving match level, so it provides me an enormous enhance. Thiem on a a lot wanted win

Dimitrov Flashes Previous Musetti

Dimitrov and Musetti had been relegated to Court docket 1 in Bercy however arguably placed on probably the most thrilling match of Spherical 1, with each guys producing some beautiful shot-making all through the 2-hour and 18-minute conflict.

Dimitrov has been having fun with considerably of a profession revival in latest weeks, and though he’s not but again to successful titles, his stage of tennis has been a lot improved. 

It was solely a minor blip that stopped him from serving out the second set earlier than shedding it on a tiebreak. Nonetheless, he regrouped rapidly to interrupt early within the third and dictated along with his forehand to maneuver into the final 32.

Different Matches of Be aware

Paris Masters Spherical of 32 Matches

Which matches have you ever loved to this point in Paris, if any? Who’re your picks to make the highest eight within the stay race? Let me know within the feedback.