Zverev beats Tsitsipas, joins Rune, Humbert, Khachanov in Paris Masters semis

PARIS — Alexander Zverev superior to the semifinals of the Paris Masters by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-4 on Friday and knocking the Greek out of rivalry on the ATP Finals.

The German third-rounder saved just one level he confronted.

Zverev, the French Open runner-up, will subsequent face 2022 champion Holger Rune for a shot on the title. He has reached the semifinals in Paris 4 years in the past, though he has by no means received a tough court docket match.

The primary break got here within the eleventh recreation when Tsitsipas struggled in his first recreation. Zverev acquired the break at 6-5 with an unforced error.

Tsitsipas then saved two factors however solely misplaced one level on his seventeenth error earlier than Zverev closed out the set.

Zverev broke once more within the third recreation of the second set to take full management. He has scored 12 straight factors in his final three service video games.

With the victory, Zverev turned the primary participant born within the Nineteen Nineties to report 100 victories within the prime 20. Daniil Medvedev is 99 years previous.

Tenth-seeded Tsitsipas, who has reached the ATP Finals 5 years in a row, had 28 unforced errors to 18 winners.

Rune outlasted Alex de Minaur 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 within the 2 1/2-hour first spherical. Rune improved to 3-2 towards Australia.

Grigor Dimitrov’s hopes of constructing an ATP last have been dashed after the 2023 finalist was upset by 2018 champion Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-3 for the primary time. Khachanov have misplaced their final 4 matches.

Dimitrov was seeded tenth within the race to advance to the highest eight of the ATP Finals in Turin.

Khachanov improved to 12-1 prior to now three weeks after profitable the title in Almaty and reaching the ultimate in Vienna.

He’ll face Ugo Humbert within the semi-finals, who beat Australia’s Jordan Thompson 6-2, 7-6 (4) a day after gorgeous Carlos Alcaraz.

Humbert has reached his first Masters semi-final, and is the primary Frenchman to go this far in Paris in seven years.