Alexander Zverev claimed the ultimate Masters 1000-level title of the 12 months with a 6-2, 6-2 rout over native favourite Ugo Humbert in Paris on Sunday.
It had been a powerful week for the 27-year-old German, who defeated Stefanos Tsitsipas within the quarterfinals and 2022 event champion Holger Rune within the semifinals. Within the remaining, he wanted simply 75 minutes to get previous Humbert, who was taking part in within the greatest remaining of his profession and had the overwhelming help of the French crowd behind him, and win his seventh Masters 1000 trophy and second of the season. Zverev did not face a break level all through the match and misplaced simply 5 factors on serve.
After receiving the trophy, Zverev expressed to the group how a lot the title meant to him, after sustaining a debilitating ankle harm on the 2022 French Open.
“It was not 100% assured that I’d be again at this stage after Roland Garros two years in the past, after I principally broke every thing potential in my ankle,” Zverev stated. “So to win this title right here in Paris means the world to me, and I am positive it means every thing to these in my field, as a result of they’ve carried out a lot for me.”
It marked Zverev’s 66th match victory of 2024 — probably the most by any man on tour this 12 months — and on Monday he surpassed Carlos Alcaraz for the No. 2 rating, which he’ll maintain getting into the year-end ATP Finals.
Here is what else you may need missed from across the tennis world final week:
Shnaider’s breakthrough 12 months ends with one other title
It is laborious to place into phrases simply how unbelievable Diana Shnaider’s season has been.
Getting into 2024, the now-20-year-old was ranked No. 93 on the planet — and was even exterior of the highest 100 in February — and had by no means received a WTA title. Since then, the Russian-born Shnaider, a former standout at North Carolina State, has been on an absolute tear. She received the Hua Hin Championships in February, the 500-level Dangerous Homburg Open in June, the Hungarian Grand Prix in July and the Olympic silver medal in doubles with Mirra Andreeva in August. Then, she had her finest main outcome with a fourth-round look on the US Open in September and ended her season on Sunday with the title in Hong Kong after a statement-making 6-1, 6-2 victory over Katie Boulter.
“I am so glad, so proud, the best way I competed this week,” Shnaider stated after the match. “It is a dream to complete the season like this with my household by my facet.”
Shnaider is simply the third WTA participant to win 4 titles this season, becoming a member of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek — the highest two-ranked gamers on the planet. She later stated it was “good to be in that firm” and stated it will inspire her additional subsequent season to “push tougher to be on the identical stage as them.”
However for now, she nonetheless has fairly a bit to be ok with getting into the offseason. She is the one lady to have received titles on all three surfaces this season, is at present ranked a brand new career-high of No. 12, and is inside 300 factors of the highest 10.
Turin subject set
With only one week remaining within the common season, it regarded as if 4 males can be battling for the ultimate three spots within the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
5 gamers — Jannik Sinner, Zverev, Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Taylor Fritz — had already punched their ticket to Turin, however Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev have been nonetheless making an attempt to safe their place for the year-end occasion. There have been a number of eventualities that might decide who would go and can be unnoticed primarily based on outcomes at 250-tournaments in Metz and Belgrade.
Then Djokovic, the defending ATP Finals champion, introduced on Tuesday morning that he can be unable to take part because of harm. He has performed in only one event because the US Open, reaching the ultimate in Shanghai final month.
“I used to be actually trying ahead to being there, however because of ongoing harm I will not be taking part in subsequent week,” the 24-time main champion wrote in an Instagram story. “Apologies to those that have been planning to see me.”
The ATP Finals will get underway on Nov. 10 with Ruud, de Minaur and Rublev all formally rounding out the singles draw.
First and final (of the 12 months anyway)
Zeynep Sonmez completed her 2024 season by doing one thing she had by no means carried out earlier than: profitable a WTA title.
The 22-year-old from Turkey defeated American Ann Li 6-2, 6-1, within the remaining of the Merida Open on Sunday and made historical past for herself and her nation as she grew to become simply the second Turkish participant to win a WTA trophy, and the primary in eight years.
If that wasn’t notable sufficient, Sonmez did it after taking part in two matches on Sunday. Resulting from rain delays, she performed her semifinal match in opposition to Alina Korneeva early within the day, and needed to combat again after trailing 4-2 within the opening set for a 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory. However on Sunday night time, she wanted no such comeback and took management from the beginning. Successful the ultimate six video games of the match, she was the champion after simply 70 minutes of play — and fell to the bottom together with her head in her arms in obvious disbelief when it was over.
“It was considered one of my greatest desires [to win a WTA title] and I have been working for at the present time for 15 years,” Sonmez stated after the match.
At present ranked No. 91, Sonmez is now into the highest 100 for the primary time in her profession and is simply the second Turkish lady to succeed in the milestone.
It isn’t the way you begin …
Whereas Shnaider and Sonmez have had breakthrough outcomes this season, it has been a largely troublesome 12 months for Viktorija Golubic. The 32-year-old had didn’t win back-to-back tour-level matches because the Australian Open in January and had dropped all the best way to No. 168 within the rankings.
And never solely that, Golubic hadn’t received a WTA title since 2016 when she took residence her lone trophy in Lausanne.
However in tennis, generally all you want is one good week to show every thing round, and that is precisely what occurred to Golubic on the Jiangxi Open. All through the event, she rolled by the draw — upsetting the top-seeded Marie Bouzkova 6-1, 6-2, within the semifinals — and defeated No. 2 seed Rebecca Sramkova 6-3, 7-5, in Sunday’s remaining.
Golubic, who’s now simply exterior the highest 100 and returned to her place because the No. 1 Swiss participant, could not disguise her gratitude after the victory.
“[It] feels unbelievable,” she stated. “Persistence has paid off, and I am actually proud I’ve stayed on tour for that lengthy and to be at that stage for that lengthy. I’ve labored laborious to be at this stage and even when we win or lose, or get titles or not, we nonetheless have the assumption. We carry on going, we’ve our objectives. It is a very intense life-style, nevertheless it’s not going to be eternally to be an athlete. So I am having fun with it as a lot as I can, and I hope in my final 12 months, or years, or nevertheless lengthy I’ll play, I’ll get extra highlights.”
Work laborious, play laborious
The WTA Finals acquired underway on Saturday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and earlier than play began, the gamers had some enjoyable with each other and on social media. Maybe nobody had a greater time than Sabalenka.
After some apply, Sabalenka and Swiatek did a TikTok with each other — and Swiatek later joked it was a “massive accomplishment” in her life.
“[Sabalenka] satisfied me to do it,” Swiatek informed the WTA. “Clearly, I am not the sort of one who goes on TikTok quite a bit nevertheless it was actually enjoyable doing one thing else and I can study from her really how you can do correct TikToks … I am glad that we may present to followers that we have been getting alongside as a result of that can be necessary. We actually respect one another so it was enjoyable.”
However nothing was extra entertaining than an unintended second Sabalenka had alongside pal Ons Jabeur, who continues to be available in Riyadh as an envoy regardless of not qualifying for the occasion. Whereas taking part with native youngsters in a soccer drill, Sabalenka inadvertently kicked the ball straight at a photographer and, nicely, hilarity ensued.
Serving on Halloween
Halloween was after all final week and a few of your tennis faves actually embraced the vacation spirit. Andy Murray was a clown, Caroline Wozniacki and her household went with a “101 Dalmatians” theme, Coco Gauff and her brother rocked Deadpool and Wolverine costumes — and even acquired a shoutout from Ryan Reynolds himself — and Eugenie Bouchard, the unofficial queen of Halloween, went as Cher from “Clueless,” amongst a number of different seems all through the week.
Nonetheless, it was a Polish trend influencer named Julia Kuczynska who actually received the vacation. Dressing as — who else? — Swiatek, Kuczynska nailed the five-time main champion’s look and mannerisms with a video that you’ll probably watch a number of occasions if you have not already. Jazda, Julia. Jazda.