Humbert-Zverev, the last match in history at the POPB, the end of an era!
The Rolex Paris Masters final between Alexander Zverev and Ugo Humbert marks the end of an era this Sunday. It will be the last match in the joint history of the Paris Masters 1000 and the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy (POPB), the historic name of today's Accor Arena. The event will move to the Paris La Défense Arena in 2025.
This shared history began 38 years ago, in 1986, and over the years has seen some of the greatest champions in the history of tennis shine on the POPB's center court. From Boris Becker, the first winner, through Stefan Edberg, Goran Ivanisevic, Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, Marat Safin, Roger Federer and Andy Murray, to Novak Djokovic, winner of a record seven titles.
Three Frenchmen have also lifted the trophy in front of their home crowd: Guy Forget (1991), Sébastien Grosjean (2001) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2008). Perhaps Humbert will bring this chapter to a close in style.
So it's time to make the most of it this Sunday. Make the most of the incomparable atmosphere offered by the legendary Parisian venue. And make the most of it, because it won't be the same from next year onwards. Maybe better, maybe worse, but certainly different.
But for now, let's stay in the present: the party isn't over yet at the POPB this year, and we mustn't let it be tarnished by melancholy. On the contrary, this awareness of finiteness should encourage us to rejoice in the fact that we can still enjoy it.
As for what comes next, the future will show us soon enough what it might be like. In the meantime, there's only one thing we can be sure of: Thank you Bercy!
