Paris Masters 2024: Alexander Zverev vs Holger Rune preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds, and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (3) Alexander Zverev vs (13) Holger Rune
Date: November 2, 2024
Tournament: Paris Masters 2024
Round: Semifinal
Venue: AccorHotels Arena, Paris, France
Category: Masters 1000
Surface: Hardcourt (Indoor)
Prize Money: $6,304,619
Live Telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN
Alexander Zverev vs Holger Rune preview
Third seed Alexander Zverev will lock horns with thirteenth seed Holger Rune in a tantalizing semifinal clash at the 2024 Paris Masters for a spot in the coveted final.
Zverev opened his campaign in the French capital this week with a 7-6(2), 6-3 win over Tallon Griekspoor in the second round following a first-round bye. He then saw off an in-form hometown hero Arthur Fils in a re-match of their hotly contested Hamburg final, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Up against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals in their 16th career meeting, Zverev overcame a tight first set and breezed through a rather comfortable second set to seal an emphatic 7-5, 6-4 to seal a berth in his second career final in Bercy.
Rune, unlike Zverev, didn't receive a first-round bye and began his campaign with a routine 6-4, 6-4 victory over Matteo Arnaldi. He was equally dominant in his second-round encounter against Alexander Bublik, securing another comfortable 6-4, 6-2 victory.
Rune took on local lucky loser Arthur Cazaux in the third round, overcoming a stern test and overturning a one-set deficit to seal a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory. He was taken the distance again in his quarterfinal encounter against 9th seed Alex de Minaur but played better tennis deep in the third set to seal a 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 hard-fought victory.
Alexander Zverev vs Holger Rune head-to-head
Alexander Zverev leads Holger Rune 2-1 in their head-to-head and won their previous encounter 6-3, 7-6 (5) in Montreal earlier this year.
Alexander Zverev vs Holger Rune odds
(Odds sourced from BetMGM)
Alexander Zverev vs Holger Rune prediction
Alexander Zverev enters this contest with an impressive 64-20 match record for the year, including a 32-12 record on hard courts and 6-2 indoors. Holger Rune, meanwhile, holds a 45-22 match record so far this year, with a 27-14 record on hard courts and 10-3 indoors. Rune’s best indoor performance this year was reaching the semifinals in Montpellier, while Zverev recently made it to the quarterfinals in Vienna.
Both players have been challenged in Bercy this week. Zverev battled through a tough third-round clash but secured a straightforward two-set win in the previous round, winning 79% of his first-serve points, hitting nine aces, and saving the only break point he faced. He also recorded 21 winners and as many unforced errors.
Rune, who started the tournament with two comfortable victories, faced stiffer competition in both the third round and quarterfinals. He won 77% of his first-serve points and converted 87% of net approaches in his previous match. He also tallied 25 winners against 27 unforced errors and saved five out of seven break points.
Zverev and Rune have met only once before on hard courts and have yet to play each other indoors. Their past encounters have been tightly contested, and this match is expected to follow suit. While Zverev holds the statistical edge, Rune, a former champion at this venue, could draw confidence from that. To secure a victory, Rune will need to serve consistently and disrupt Zverev’s rhythm early.
With two skilled baseliners and strong servers, this showdown promises high-stakes drama. An upset from Rune is possible if he maintains his form and capitalizes on early opportunities.
Pick: Rune to win in three sets.