Carlos Alcaraz avoided a similar fate, however, as the seven-time major winner beat Alex Michelsen 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to advance to the last 16. Long seen as tennis’ nearly-man, 29-year-old Zverev broke his major duck this year by winning the French and US Opens, which propelled him to the top of the ATP rankings for the first time in his career this month.
Alexander Zverev said he was “annoyed” at having to justify being world number one as he lost his opening match at the Paris Masters, while 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic also fell in a Wednesday full of upsets.
Alexander Zverev said he was “annoyed” at having to justify being world number one as he lost his opening match at the Paris Masters, while 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic also fell in a Wednesday full of upsets.
“I said even before playing with him that today was going to be the best challenge and the toughest challenge that this sport can give me. So I’m really happy that I took my chances today,” Italian former world number five Musetti said. “Stress, I don’t know if stress. Hijikata broke Djokovic in the eighth game of the second frame before serving out to force a decider.
I was a bit annoyed, to be honest,” Zverev told reporters. “Really happy to get the win,” Alcaraz said on-court. “I’m really happy with the way I moved and played.”
After a tightly-contested second frame, Alcaraz got a crucial break ahead in the eighth game and then promptly served out to set up a third-round meeting with Matteo Berrettini. Elsewhere, seventh seed Frances Tiafoe also fell in his opening match, going down 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (11/9) to Quentin Halys.
