Paris Masters opens with seeds steady and surprises stirring
The Accor Arena pulses with late-season intensity as the 2025 Paris Masters begins, where veterans lean on experience and underdogs seize moments on the swift indoor courts.
In the humming confines of the Accor Arena, the 2025 Paris Masters launched its first day under sharp lights that sharpened every shadow on the baseline. The indoor hard courts, fast and low-bouncing, demanded immediate aggression from the round of 56, where players chased precious points toward year-end rankings or a Turin berth. Crowd energy swelled for French hopefuls, blending cheers with the sharp crack of strings, as the ATP season’s final surge tested mental edges alongside tactical sharpness.
Seeds harness pace for efficient advances
The 2018 champion Karen Khachanov, seeded 10th, dismantled qualifier Ethan Quinn 6-1, 6-1, his inside-out forehands landing heavy to pin the American deep and force unforced errors in extended rallies. Seeded 12th, Andrey Rublev overpowered Jacob Fearnley 6-1, 6-4, mixing crosscourt topspin with down-the-line backhands that exploited the Briton’s vulnerable second serve on the slick surface. Alexander Bublik, the 13th seed, outmaneuvered Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 6-3, his slice serves and drop shots disrupting the Australian’s baseline power in a display of psychological control during tight games.
Grigor Dimitrov, the 2023 finalist, shook off rust from his first match since Wimbledon to defeat home favorite Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(5), 6-1, accelerating his one–two combinations of serve and forehand to pull away decisively in the second set. These straight-set triumphs conserved energy for the seeded contingent, each win a step toward salvaging momentum in a grueling year, while the arena’s roar amplified their resolve against rising challengers.
This year is totally different.
Wildcards and qualifiers ignite local fervor
Local wildcard Arthur Cazaux edged Luciano Darderi 7-6(5), 7-6(4), his inside-in forehands and crowd-backed tenacity turning tiebreaks into gritty stands of willpower on the quick court. Fellow Frenchman and wildcard Arthur Rinderknech matched the intensity against Fabian Marozsan with the same scoreline, relying on crosscourt passing shots to neutralize the Hungarian’s heavy groundstrokes in a battle that captured home resilience. Flavio Cobolli powered past Tomas Machac 6-1, 6-4, his precise baseline depth exposing the Czech’s footing on the indoor hard.
Cameron Norrie wore down Sebastian Baez 6-3, 6-4 through grinding crosscourt exchanges that frayed the Argentine’s defense, while qualifier Aleksandar Vukic outlasted wildcard Terence Atmane 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, using varied drop shots to reset in the decider and capitalize on the surface’s predictability. Alexandre Muller delighted the French crowd by toppling Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 7-5, drawing the American netward with underspin lobs before punishing weak replies. These breakthroughs fueled national pride, injecting vitality into a draw where every roar seemed to quicken the tempo of play.
Underdogs expose vulnerabilities in the field
Daniel Altmaier upset Marcos Giron 6-2, 7-6(5), his flat backhand slices keeping the American guessing in a tiebreak that highlighted late-season poise. Rising American Learner Tien stunned Nuno Borges 6-2, 7-6(7), blending speed with targeted serves to the Portuguese player’s backhand in a match that showcased youthful adaptation to the arena’s speed. Francisco Cerundolo methodically dispatched qualifier Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-3, his baseline pressure unrelenting under the weight of year-end aspirations.
Zizou Bergs rallied to beat Alex Michelsen 6-3, 2-6, 6-2, redirecting crosscourt winners in the third to overcome a mid-match slump with renewed focus. Miomir Kecmanovic navigated lucky loser Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 1-6, 7-6(2), sharpening his net rushes to clinch the tiebreak after a set lapse. Lorenzo Sonego closed the day by overpowering qualifier Sebastian Korda 6-2, 6-3, his topspin forehands dominating the pace and signaling his drive for a robust finish. As detailed in Dimitrov pulls away for Paris win in first match since Wimbledon, these contests layered personal stakes atop the scores, with Alcaraz fresh and fired up in Paris: ‘This year is totally different’ echoing a broader hunger for renewal, while features like How Diallo turned his parents’ journey into his own and Shapovalov on marriage, balance & comeback: ‘She’s always kept me level-headed’ wove human depth into the tactical fray, priming the draw for escalating drama in the rounds ahead.
