2024 Rolex Paris Masters: Draw Preview and Evaluation
Sinner, Alcaraz don’t have a lot to play for, however others do
The Rolex Paris Masters 2024 draw preview and evaluation reveals a dramatic power-grab for factors simply beneath the highest seeds together with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, who don’t want them.
This indoor Masters 1000 occasion serves as an important alternative for a sure degree of elite participant to e-book a visit to the year-ending ATP Finals in Turin. Sinner and Alcaraz, winners of the Grand Slams, are cemented.
Along with their Grand Slam prize cash, Sinner and Alcaraz just lately performed in a record-breakingly profitable exhibition. Now they’re headed for the wealth of the ATP Finals. The wealthy preserve getting richer. In tennis, cash buys stardom, comfort, consolation, prime seedings and customarily extra successful.
However what in regards to the subsequent tier? Gamers ranked across the Prime 8 actually might use the money Turin gives. With Novak Djokovic not sure to play the ATP Finals, that’s even yet another spot contained in the Prime 8 that might be obtainable. Defending champion Djokovic has chosen to skip the Paris Masters as nicely.
The Rolex Paris Masters awards 1000 factors to the winner of the match and 650 to the runner up, with descending buckets of factors awarded thereafter.
To the 2024 Rolex Paris Masters draw preview and evaluation.
Sinner Quarter
With 64 gamers within the area, the draw is refined. Substantive matchups occur early. Ben Shelton takes on Felix Auger Aliassime in a alternative first-round contest. The winner performs Sinner. Whereas Shelton has an outdoor shot at Turin, drawing a 2nd spherical potential with Sinner is unfortunate.
The plot actually tenses up with Turin potentials Holger Rune, Alex De Minaur and Taylor Fritz all on this part of the draw. Holger performs nicely indoors and gained this match in 2022. He might play spoiler to a fatigued Sinner. However I really favor Fritz to return via the quarter. He’s bought a positive place for Turin, however a great run in Paris ices it. Huge servers usually love indoor situations the place their strokes are true and pure.
Regardless that Sinner beat Fritz to win the US Open in straights, the units had been top quality. Their face to face is 2-1 in favor of the Italian. I base this decide solely on the truth that Sinner, having simply gained 6 million {dollars}, has little or no to play for at this exact second in time.
Rolex Paris Masters Draw Preview and Evaluation: Zverev Quarter
Alexander Zverev has been taking part in solidly, regardless of battling a lung concern. He has locked a ticket to the ATP Finals with over 6,000 factors and a place of three within the Race. He in all probability might use a while to recuperate. Bear in mind, after a protracted 12 months, a lot of the gamers have toured Asia, battling jet lag in addition to their opponents within the fall factors chase. I like hometown child Arthur Fils to upset Zverev on this part. However Andrey Rublev is my decide to return via this quarter as a result of he loves indoor onerous courts, and he has every thing to play for.
Hovering at eighth within the Race, Rublev wants the factors to make Turin and put a constructive spin on a subpar, emotionally taxing 12 months. A pair of one-handed backhands, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Lorenzo Musetti, in all probability can’t overcome Rublev right here, for various causes.
Medvedev Quarter
This space of the draw has some plum first-round matches. Circle the Alexei Popyrin – Matteo Berrettini tilt. Each gamers are jostling to place themselves on the Australian Open. Matteo might use a seed, and Alexei might use a excessive seed at his dwelling Slam.
Francis Tiafoe and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard ought to make for an thrilling match. They’ve by no means performed, and I can’t wait to see Foe’s face making an attempt to return that serve. That stated, I believe the one-handed backhand can be simply sufficient of a legal responsibility on this floor to offer Francis the sting. He’s bought a great deal of expertise indoors, and he loves it.
Daniil Medvedev, seeded 4th, retains operating up in opposition to Sinner and Alcaraz. Apart from these two opponents, he’s usually been taking part in nicely. The jury is out on Meddy’s incentives right here. He’s already certified for Turin.
On the prime of this quarter sits Grigor Dimitrov, with probably essentially the most to achieve. Grigor stands at 10 within the Race. He performs exceptionally nicely on this court docket, having made it to the finals final 12 months, the place he misplaced to Djokovic. His face to face vs Medvedev is 3-8, however a kind of 3 wins got here right here on the Paris Masters. I’m going to offer the slightest of nods to Grigor. As you possibly can see, incentive weighs closely in my fall evaluation. Why? These guys are human beings, not robots.
2024 Rolex Paris Masters Draw Preview and Evaluation: Alcaraz Quarter
Straightforward draw. The Spaniard has criss-crossed the globe just lately, and he has earned this cake stroll. Ugo Humbert, Tommy Paul and Casper Ruud are the opposite seeds on this quarter.
Let’s break it down. Ruud doesn’t play nicely in these situations. His profession file right here is 3-5. Tommy Paul, having gained just lately in Stockholm, is drained and sure able to crack open a chilly one and return to the States. Alcaraz has a 2-0 file vs. Humbert and beat him badly earlier this 12 months on indoor onerous court docket. Different unseeded gamers like Flavio Cobolli have been damage. This must be straightforward for Carlos till the semifinals, the place it will get considerably harder.
My gamers to observe:
QF: Fritz, Rublev, Dimitrov, Alcaraz
SF: Fritz, Alcaraz
F: Alcaraz
