Zverev took the first set on a tie-break, but Alcaraz raised his level and broke early in the second and third sets.
It was a semi-final that turned on a handful of points. For a set and a half Zverev looked the stronger player, serving well and keeping the Spaniard pinned behind the baseline. Once Alcaraz found his rhythm, though, the German had few answers.
How the match unfolded
The first set went with serve throughout. Zverev, who started the match as the outsider, held comfortably and gave Alcaraz almost nothing to work with on return. The German edged the tie-break after Alcaraz made two errors on his forehand side.
The Spaniard responded immediately. He broke early in the second set, moved further up the court on return and began to take the ball earlier. Zverev’s first-serve percentage dropped, and Alcaraz used his second-serve returns to take control of the rallies.
The third set followed the same pattern. An early break gave Alcaraz the lead, and from there he served out the match without giving Zverev a sight of a comeback.
After the first set I told myself to be more aggressive. It worked.
What changed after the first set
The key difference was positioning. In the first set Alcaraz returned from deep behind the baseline, which gave Zverev time to set up his forehand. From the second set onwards he stood closer and took the return on the rise, rushing the German and forcing shorter replies.
- Returning closer to the baseline on Zverev’s second serve
- More frequent approaches to the net to finish points
- Earlier use of the drop shot to break up long rallies
- A higher first-serve percentage in the deciding set
Zverev’s level also dropped as the match went on. He had been the more consistent player in the long baseline exchanges early on, but in the third set the rallies became shorter and the Spaniard was dictating play from the middle of the court.
For Zverev, the defeat ends a solid week in Paris. He reached the last four without dropping his level against several dangerous opponents, and for a set he looked capable of reaching the final. The German will now turn his attention to the last events of the season, with plenty of positives to take from his week. Matches like this one show how small the margins are at the top of the men’s game, and how quickly a player of his experience can lose the initiative.
The road to the final
Alcaraz has not been at his very best in every round this week in Paris, but he has found a way through each time. Coming from a set down against a player of Zverev’s quality is another sign that his game is in good shape heading into the end of the season.
The win also matters for the bigger picture. The Paris Masters is the last Masters 1000 event of the year, and a strong finish here sets him up well for the season-ending events, where only the best players of the year take part.
Next up: Sinner
He will face Jannik Sinner in the final.
Sinner reached the final with a straight-sets win over Daniil Medvedev. The Italian did not face a single break point and won 84% of the points on his first serve, a performance that suggests he arrives fresher than his opponent after a quicker semi-final.
| Semi-final | Winner | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| Alcaraz vs Zverev | Carlos Alcaraz | 2–1 |
| Sinner vs Medvedev | Jannik Sinner | 2–0 |
Their meetings have become the main rivalry of the season, and the final in Paris is another chapter. The two men are the most consistent players on tour this year, and both have shown they can win on the quick indoor courts of the Paris event.
Bookmakers see the final as close to even, with Sinner slightly preferred at 1.85 and Alcaraz at 1.95. Betting is for adults 18+ only, and odds can move before the first serve. Nothing in a match between these two can be taken for granted.
The key for Alcaraz will be to start better than he did against Zverev. Against Sinner, losing the first set is far more costly, because the Italian rarely lets a lead slip once he has control of the rallies. Expect the Spaniard to look for the same aggressive return position from the opening game.
The final is played later today. We will have a full report and reaction after the match.
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