Paris Masters 1000: Ugo Humbert suffers but advances to the 2nd round

Ugo Humbert did not miss his return with the Masters 1000 in Paris. Absent in 2025 (injured) but finalist a year earlier, Messin passed the first round on Monday November 2 after an intense fight against Botic van de Zanschulp in a match between two players who follow each other in the ATP rankings. The Dutchman, 37th in the world, one rank ahead of his evening opponent, gave Humbert a hard time, ultimately winning in three sets 7-6 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-3.

The match was particularly disjointed, between two players who alternated between the good and the much more mediocre, particularly on the serve. Ugo Humbert had to fight hard to snatch the first set, which van de Zandschulp could have concluded by serving at 5-4 then leading 4-0 in the tie-break. The Frenchman could have closed the deal earlier with two match points in the second set, before giving in during a second suffocating tie-break, lasting almost 20 minutes.

Humbert finally quickly made the difference in the third decisive set before finishing in 2h39 of play. He will face the Italian Matteo Berrettini (43rd) or the American Brandon Nakashima (18th) in the next round.