Already the winner of two ATP 500 titles and six on the big circuit, the aged French leader, currently ranked 18th in the world, is enjoying his most complete season to date at the age of 26, and has what it takes to topple the Alexander Zverev mountain.
Last year’s revenge
Last year, the Jérémy Chardy had pushed Alexander Zverev in his last throes in an incandescent atmosphere. The German won the 2nd round in a thrilling 3h30 match 6-4, 6-7, 7-6 (5). “Last year, when I played Zverev, it was probably the best experience I’ve ever had on a court, assured the Messinian this week. In terms of atmosphere, it was fabulous. As soon as I scored, I saw them on their feet. In the end, I got so far and it was so incredible that when I got to the locker room, I passed out.”
Humbert likes to play big
Confident on the fast surface he loves, the Lorraine native is at ease against the best. He is now 5-5 against members of the world’s top 5. At the beginning of 2022, he had already beaten Daniil Medvedev, then number 2 on the ATP rankings. “He’s not afraid of playing the best. He’s not impressed, assures his coach. Ugo enters the court thinking he has just as much chance of winning. His game gets in the way. He takes risks, and the best players don’t like to be attacked. That’s why he beats them.” In fact, the left-hander has already pinned Zverev on his hit list, when they meet for the first time on Halle grass in 2021.
Humbert unbeaten at home indoors
In addition to the fact that he almost never loses in a final (seven contested, six won), the French number one is unbeaten in France with a roof over his head for thirteen matches (title in Metz in 2023, then in Marseille in February). At Bercy, he knocked out Carlos Alcarazin the last 8. A fine performance and an impressive record which contrast with the Messin’s results on the clay of Roland-Garros, where he has won just one match in six appearances in the main draw…
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Zverev back to his best ranking, Humbert close to top 10
Whatever happens in the final, the German is back to number 2 in the ATP rankings as of Monday. “I’m delighted to be back in this position as there was no guarantee I’d get to this level again.”he declared. After his serious ankle injury in 2022, the Hamburg native, Olympic champion in Tokyo in 2021 and two-time Masters winner (2018 and 2021), is closing in on the summit, even if he has yet to win a Grand Slam title… In 2024, Humbert flirted with the top 10. A goal that turned into “obsessionaccording to him, when he won the ATP 500 in Dubaiafter winning in Marseillebecoming 13th in the world, his highest ranking to date. If he is crowned champion at Bercy on Monday, he could once again knock on the door of the top 10 by becoming 11th.
First against experience
At the age of 26, the French leader is discovering this stage of competition in the most prestigious tournaments behind the Grand Slams. Gaël Monfils was the last to reach this stage at Monte-Carlo in 2016 (defeat by Nadal). Humbert becomes only the eighth French player to reach a Masters 1000 final, after Forget, Tsonga, Richard Gasquet, Monfils, Cédric Pioline, Grosjean and Gilles Simon. A habit for Zverev. The 26-year-old is aiming for a seventh Masters 1000 title, his second in 2024 after Rome. He has already contested a final in the Parisian venue: behind closed doors in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, he lost to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in 2020 (5-7, 6-4, 6-1).