Zverev Beats Tsitsipas and Joined by Rune, Humbert, Khachanov in Paris Masters Semis

 Germany's Alexander Zverev looks on as he plays against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas during their men's singles quarterfinal match on day five of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on November 1, 2024. (AFP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev looks on as he plays against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas during their men's singles quarterfinal match on day five of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on November 1, 2024. (AFP)
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Zverev Beats Tsitsipas and Joined by Rune, Humbert, Khachanov in Paris Masters Semis

 Germany's Alexander Zverev looks on as he plays against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas during their men's singles quarterfinal match on day five of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on November 1, 2024. (AFP)
Germany's Alexander Zverev looks on as he plays against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas during their men's singles quarterfinal match on day five of the Paris ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament at the Accor Arena - Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy - in Paris on November 1, 2024. (AFP)

Alexander Zverev advanced to the semifinals of the Paris Masters by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-4 on Friday and knocking the Greek player out of contention for the ATP Finals.

The third-seeded German saved the only break point he faced.

Zverev, the French Open runner-up, next faces 2022 champion Holger Rune for a shot at the title. He's into his third Paris semifinals in the past four years, though he's never won the hard-court tournament.

The first break point opportunity came in the 11th game as Tsitsipas struggled with his first serve. Zverev got the break for 6-5 on an unforced error.

Tsitsipas then saved two set points but squandered his only break point chance with his 17th unforced error before Zverev closed out the set.

Zverev broke again in the third game of the second set to take full control. He rattled off 12 straight points in his final three service games.

With the victory, Zverev became the first player born in the 1990s to record 100 wins over top-20 players. Daniil Medvedev is on 99.

The 10th-seeded Tsitsipas, who reached the ATP Finals for five consecutive years, had 28 unforced errors to 18 winners.

Rune outlasted Alex de Minaur 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 in a 2 1/2-hour baseline fight. Rune improved to 3-2 against the Australian.

Grigor Dimitrov's hopes of making the ATP Finals were set back after the 2023 finalist was upset by 2018 champion Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-3 for the first time. Khachanov lost their four previous matches.

Dimitrov was 10th in the race to the top-eight ATP Finals in Turin.

Khachanov improved to 12-1 in the last three weeks after winning the Almaty title and reaching the Vienna final.

He'll face in the semifinals local hope Ugo Humbert, who defeated Jordan Thompson of Australia 6-2, 7-6 (4) a day after stunning Carlos Alcaraz.

Humbert has reached his first Masters semifinal, and he's the first Frenchman to go this far in Paris in seven years.



Gauff Beats Pegula at WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia

Tennis - WTA Finals - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 3, 2024 Coco Gauff of the US celebrates winning her women's singles group stage match against Jessica Pegula of the US REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
Tennis - WTA Finals - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 3, 2024 Coco Gauff of the US celebrates winning her women's singles group stage match against Jessica Pegula of the US REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
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Gauff Beats Pegula at WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia

Tennis - WTA Finals - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 3, 2024 Coco Gauff of the US celebrates winning her women's singles group stage match against Jessica Pegula of the US REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel
Tennis - WTA Finals - King Saud University Indoor Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - November 3, 2024 Coco Gauff of the US celebrates winning her women's singles group stage match against Jessica Pegula of the US REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel

Coco Gauff enjoyed a successful start by beating Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-2 in an American matchup at the WTA Finals on Sunday.
Second-seeded Iga Swiatek rallied to beat Barbora Krejcikova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in her first match in two months.
Gauff converted five of her eight break-point opportunities to win her opening match at the year-ending tournament for the top eight ranked players.
“I thought we both were playing high level,” The Associated Press quoted Gauff as saying. “I just think I was able to break through on the more important points.”
Gauff will face Swiatek on Tuesday with the winner taking control of the Orange Group. Pegula will next face Wimbledon champion Krejcikova.
Swiatek, who arrived at the WTA Finals with a new coach, hadn’t played a match since losing to Pegula in straight sets in the US Open quarterfinals in September.
“Even though I played a lot of those (practice) matches, I kind of forgot for a while how it is to feel all those things, a bit different stress and emotions," Swiatek said. "For sure, I needed some time to adapt. The most important thing was that even though it happened, I managed to fight through that. And was patient enough to wait to get better.”
Swiatek rallied from 3-0 down in the second set to turn it around against Krejcikova, who has been hit by injuries and had played only 29 matches coming into the finals. Seven of them were victories at Wimbledon.
On Saturday, top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka eased to a straight-set victory over Zheng Qinwen in the opening match of the finals in Saudi Arabia. Fourth-seeded Jasmine Paolini of Italy beat fifth-seeded Elena Rybakina in the other Purple Group match.