Paris Masters 2023 Day 3: Men's singles predictions ft. Alexander Zverev vs Ugo Humbert
Day 3 of the Paris Masters will see a total of ten singles matches take place. Novak Djokovic's quest for a seventh title at the Masters 1000 tournament will start against Tomas Martin Etcheverry while Holger Rune begins his title defense against Dominic Thiem.
Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner will both start their respective campaigns, as they take on Grigor Dimitrov and Mackenzie McDonald respectively. The likes of Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud, and Hubert Hurkacz will also be in action.
On that note, let's take a look at the predictions for some of the singles matches that will take place on Day 3 of the Paris Masters.
#1. Alexander Zverev vs Ugo Humbert
Tenth seed Alexander Zverev will be up against Ugo Humbert in the second round of the Paris Masters. It will be the second meeting between the two, with the Frenchman beating the German 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3 in their last encounter at the 2021 Halle Open.
Zverev reached the second round of the Masters 1000 event with a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 win over Marton Fucsovics while Humbert defeated Marcos Giron 6-4, 6-3.
The German triumphed in 52 out of 77 matches so far this season while the Frenchman came out on top in 29 out of 51 fixtures. Humbert has produced some promising performances lately and could trouble Zverev. However, the German should be able to get the win and book his place in the third round of the Paris Masters.
Predicted Winner: Alexander Zverev
#2. Casper Ruud vs Francisco Cerundolo
Eighth seed Casper Ruud will take on Francisco Cerundolo in the second round of the Paris Masters. It will be the fifth meeting between the two, with their head-to-head currently tied at 2-2.
Ruud received a bye to the second round of the Masters 1000 event by virtue of being one of the top eight seeds while Cerundolo had to overcome a tense battle over Gael Monfils in the first round, winning 4-6, 7-6(2), 7-5.
Ruud has won 37 out of 59 matches so far in 2023 while Cerundolo has come out on top in 38 out of 63 meetings. The Norwegian has produced a string of disappointing performances on hard courts so far this season but the Argentine might feel the effects of his marathon clash against Monfils.
Predicted Winner: Casper Ruud
#3. Hubert Hurkacz vs Roberto Bautista Agut
11th seed Hubert Hurkacz will take on Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round of the Paris Masters. It will be the fifth meeting between the two, with the Spaniard leading 3-1 in the head-to-head.
The Pole booked his place in the second round in Paris with a 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-3 win over Sebastian Korda while Bautista Agut defeated Jiri Lehecka 6-4, 6-2.
Hurkacz has won 43 out of 65 matches so far this season while Bautista Agut has triumphed in 16 out of 35 fixtures. The Pole's recent performances, particularly in Shanghai, make him the favorite to win and he should be able to do so to reach the third round of the Paris Masters.
Predicted Winner: Hubert Hurkacz.
#4. Tommy Paul vs Botic van de Zandschulp
12th seed Tommy Paul will take on Botic van de Zandschulp in the second round of the Paris Masters. It will be the second meeting between the two, with the Dutchman winning their last encounter 7-6(2), 6-2 during the group stage of the Davis Cup Finals.
Paul booked his place in the second round in Paris with a 0-6, 6-2, 7-6(6) win over Richard Gasquet while Van de Zandschulp triumphed 6-4, 7-5 over Adrian Mannarino.
The American has won 41 out of 68 matches so far this season while the Dutchman has triumphed in 21 out of 44 fixtures. Paul has produced some promising performances throughout the season and he is more than capable of coming out on top and reaching the third round of the Paris Masters.
Predicted Winner: Tommy Paul