At 27 years old, Alexander Zverev now boasts seven ATP Masters 1000 titles, having previously won in Rome, Madrid, Montreal, and Cincinnati – however, he is still on the hunt for that elusive first Grand Slam title.

Returning to Paris allowed Zverev to move past some haunting memories, most notably his five-set loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final this June.

This title win in the French capital also served as redemption for his defeat in the 2020 Paris Masters final against Daniil Medvedev.

What Alexander Zverev told Ugo Humbert at the net

Humbert, now 6-2 in tour-level finals, was aiming to become the first Frenchman to win the title in Paris since Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008.

Unfortunately, the 26-year-old was unable to establish a foothold in his first ATP Masters 1000 final.

Despite his efforts over the course of the week, with his highlight win seeing him shock Alcaraz in the fourth round, he couldn’t secure the title he so desperately sought.

Zverev was modest in his trophy acceptance speech, revealing the kind words he told his rival at the net.

“First of all, sorry,” Zverev said, forcing a smile out of Humbert. “To start, I want to congratulate Ugo on an incredible week. Incredible player. All the hard work he’s doing off court, you can see it. The results are there.

“I told you at the net that if you keep playing like this, this isn’t the last chance you’re gonna get. I’m sure he’ll be able to lift trophies like this very soon.”

Alexander Zverev heads into the ATP finals brimming with confidence

Zverev enters the ATP Finals full of confidence, boosted by his recent success in Paris and having beaten Jannik Sinner’s 2024 record.

Having previously won the glittering year-end event, he knows what it takes to claim the title.

With Sinner’s withdrawal from the Paris Masters, Zverev gained valuable court time and momentum that have only strengthened his form.

Thanks to his new ranking as world number two, he will also avoid being drawn into Sinner’s group in Turin, potentially improving his path through the tournament.

Ivan Ljubicic said Zverev is Sinner’s main threat in Turin, rather than Alcaraz, who has beaten the Italian three times this year.

Zverev’s experience and current form make him a formidable contender heading into the Finals.

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