Musetti Stuns Newly Ranked No. 1 Zverev in Paris

Alexander Zverev’s first match as the top-ranked men’s player ended in a straight-sets defeat, with Lorenzo Musetti winning 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the Paris Masters second round on November 4. Zverev had taken over the No. 1 ranking on Monday after a season in which he won the French Open and U.S. Open, his first two Grand Slam titles.

The German struggled despite playing on a fast indoor court suited to his serve and attacking groundstrokes. Musetti, an Italian, finished with 29 winners to Zverev’s 25 and made 12 unforced errors, compared with 21 by Zverev. Musetti sealed the match with an ace.

Elsewhere in the second round, seventh-seeded Frances Tiafoe lost to Frenchman Quentin Halys, 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (9), after failing to convert four match points. Tiafoe’s defeat secured Arthur Fils a place at the ATP Finals, making him the first Frenchman to qualify since Gael Monfils in 2016.

Novak Djokovic also played in Paris on November 4, needing a semifinal run to retain a chance of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin, scheduled for November 15-22. Two places remained, with only an ATP 250 tournament in Stockholm left after Paris.