Bercy 2024: Ugo Humbert's Magical Night Against Alcaraz in the Round of 16
On Thursday, October 31, 2024, in the legendary hall of the Palais omnisports de Paris-Bercy, for the Rolex Paris Masters round of 16, Ugo Humbert faced Carlos Alcaraz, one of the very best players in the world, ranked world No. 2 at the time.
For Humbert, it was much more than just a match: an opportunity to assert himself in front of his home French crowd, in a tournament where the pressure is at its peak.
Right from the start, Humbert set the tone. He won the first set 6-1 in just 26 minutes, piling up the winners and leaving no room for Alcaraz to maneuver. But the second act saw a different Alcaraz. Having found his rhythm again, the Spaniard leveled the match at one set all (6-3).
The final set was very tight. No breaks of serve were given, and the tension mounted. Then, at 6-5 for Humbert, he seized his chance by breaking serve to close it out: 7-5. Final score: 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 after a 2-hour 16-minute battle.
For Humbert: this victory was only the beginning of a fantastic run in the capital. After winning his quarterfinal and semifinal matches, the Frenchman unfortunately fell to Zverev in the final (6-2, 6-2).
