By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday October 31, 2024
Ugo Humbert played out of his mind and took down Carlos Alcaraz for his biggest career win on Friday at the Paris Masters.
Thursday October 31, 2024
As the No.1 French player, Ugo Humbert expressed his feelings about not being put on Centre Court for his second-round match. Now we can see why he wanted to be there so badly.
Humbert turned Centre Court in Paris into his personal center stage on Thursday as he produced an epic 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 upset of four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz that sent French fans into a Frenzy on halloween.
“It was a crazy match, a crazy atmosphere,” Humbert said after his win. “I tried to do everything tonight. It was a really big match.”
After being blitzed in an opening set in 26 blink-and-you missed it minutes, Alcaraz pushed his swagger button and introduced him into the contest. The Sponiard produced several highlight reel moments as he captured the third set and stayed in lockstep with Humbert in the third, but the 26-year-old World No.18 refused to let his moment slip away.
“I trusted myself in big moments and I made some big shots,” Humbert said.
Indeed.
None better than the electrifying passing shot in the tenth game, which was part of a barrage of thrilling winners that put the scoreboard pressure back to Alcaraz.
In the end, Humbert had too much of that good energy. He pushed through for a break in the 12th game, and celebrated with gusto, sending a roundhouse left-hand hook into the air as he flew through the air, the crowd showering him with chants of UGO!!! UGO!!!
It was a special moment on a special day for French tennis. Five Frenchman were into the round of 16, matching the all-time high for the Paris Masters, but only Humbert gained safe passage into the quarterfinals (Arthur Rinderknech is currently facing Grigor Dimitrov in the last match of the night).
He faces Jordan Thompson on Friday, while Alcaraz, who drops to 52-11 on the season, will lick his wounds and head to Turin for the ATP Finals, which commence in two weeks.
Two Former Champions Alive
No Alcaraz, no Sinner (illness), No Djokovic (didn’t play) makes for a wide open quarterfinal slate in Paris. But two players – Russia’s Karen Khachanov and Denmark’s Holger Rune, have lifted the trophy before. Khachanov won the event in 2018, while Rune was the buzzsaw that ran through five Top 10 players to take the title in 2024.
Rune will face Alex de Minaur on Friday; Khachanov will take on either Grigor Dimitrov or Arthur Rinderknech.