Paris Masters 2021: Stefanos Tsitsipas' projected path to the final
After bowing out of the BNP Paribas Open and the Erste Bank Open in the quarter-finals and the Round of 16 respectively, Stefanos Tsitsipas will hope to make amends at the Paris Masters.
The Greek's best performance in the final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season is a quarterfinal finish in 2019. As the third seed this time around, the 23-year-old will look to make a deeper run.
On that note, here's a look at Tsitsipas' potential path to the final at the Paris Masters.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' 2nd round opponent -
Lloyd Harris/Alex de Minaur
Following a first-round bye, Stefanos Tsitsipas is slated to meet the winner of the match between World No. 31 Lloyd Harris and Australia's Alex de Minaur in the second round.
While Tsitsipas has a flawless 6-0 record over De Minaur, the Greek has never crossed swords with Harris before.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' likely 3rd round opponent - Roberto Bautista Agut
A win in the second round should pit the World No. 3 against the 14th seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the pre-quarterfinals. The Spaniard has suffered early exits in his last few tournaments and will be a massive underdog in this clash. Bautista Ague has lost both his meetings with Tsitsipas thus far.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' likely quarter-final opponent - Hubert Hurkacz/Felix Auger-Aliassime
A tricky quarterfinal showdown against either seventh seed Hubert Hurkacz or ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime potentially awaits Tsitsipas.
While Tsitsipas has a 6-2 edge over Hurkacz in the head-to-head, they have split their two meetings this year. The Pole has won three titles this year, including the Miami Open, and will most certainly not make things easy for Tsitsipas.
US Open semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime, meanwhile, hasn't beaten the World No. 3 since 2019. Tsitsipas has won their last five clashes and will be the firm favorite if he faces the Canadian.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' likely semi-final opponent - Novak Djokovic
Should Tsitsipas make the semifinals, he could face World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in a rematch of this year's Roland Garros final.
Djokovic has won both their meetings this year, although the Greek pushed the 20-time Grand Slam champion to the limit on both occasions. Having beaten Djokovic twice on hardcourts, Tsitsipas has the potential to cause an upset.
Djokovic, meanwhile, hasn't played since losing the final of the US Open to Daniil Medvedev in September. It remains to be seen if there is any rust in his game.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' likely opponent in the final - Daniil Medvedev/Alexander Zverev
If Tsitsipas manages to overcome all the hurdles and make it to his first Paris Masters final, he could come up against either US Open champion Daniil Medvedev or Olympic gold medalist Alexander Zverev.
Medvedev has a 6-2 lead over Tsitsipas in their head-to-head, with the two recording a victory each in their two meetings this year. Even though Tsitsipas did win their most recent showdown on the claycourts at Roland Garros, Medvedev should have the upper hand on hardcourts.
Alexander Zverev, who is in contention for the title in Vienna this week, has beaten Tsitsipas twice on hardcourts this year. Having made the final at Paris-Bercy last year, the German should be the favorite should the two square off for the trophy.