Paris Masters 2024: Carlos Alcaraz vs Ugo Humbert preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick
Match Details
Fixture: (2) Carlos Alcaraz vs (15) Ugo Humbert
Date: October 31, 2024
Tournament: Paris Masters 2024
Round: Third round (Round of 16)
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
Carlos Alcaraz vs Ugo Humbert preview
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz will continue his pursuit of a maiden Paris Masters title against home favorite Ugo Humbert in the third round on Thursday, October 21.
Alcaraz arrived in Paris with an impressive 52-10 record this season, securing titles at the French Open, Wimbledon, Indian Wells, and Beijing. His last outing was at the Shanghai Masters, where he fell unexpectedly in the quarterfinals to an inspired Tomas Machac.
In his Paris opener, Alcaraz enjoyed a 7-5, 6-1 second-round victory over Nicolas Jarry, following a first-round bye. The first set was closely contested, with both players trading breaks before Alcaraz clinched it in the 12th game courtesy of Jarry's first double fault. From there, Alcaraz dominated to seal the match comfortably.
Humbert, meanwhile, entered the Paris Masters with a 34-23 season record, highlighted by titles in Marseille and Dubai, where he defeated Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Bublik, respectively. He reached the Japan Open final most recently, where he lost in a hard-fought match against compatriot Arthur Fils. Last week, Humbert competed in Basel but exited in the second round, falling to David Goffin.
Humbert kicked off his Paris Masters campaign this week with a determined 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Brandon Nakashima in the first-round. He followed up with a more decisive 6-3, 6-2 win against another American Marcos Giron in the subsequent round to set up a third-round date with Alcaraz.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Ugo Humbert head-to-head
Carlos Alcaraz holds a 2-0 lead in his head-to-head record against Ugo Humbert. He won their previous encounter 6-3, 6-3 in this year's Davis Cup round-robin stage.
Carlos Alcaraz vs Ugo Humbert odds
(Odds to be added once available)
Carlos Alcaraz vs Ugo Humbert prediction
Carlos Alcaraz looked sharp in his opening match, showcasing his all-court game and exceptional court coverage. Dominant from the baseline and effective at the net, he won 75% of his first-serve points, fired 9 aces, and struck 13 winners against just 6 unforced errors. His return game was equally strong, converting 5 of 6 break points and winning 45% of all return points.
Ugo Humbert, meanwhile, rebounded impressively in his second-round encounter after a tough first match, winning 77% of his first-serve points and hitting 9 aces. He was particularly effective at the net, winning 88% of points when moving forward. Despite 30 unforced errors, Humbert balanced it with 24 winners and excelled on the return, winning 52% of return points and converting 4 of 5 break points.
Indoor courts have been Alcaraz's least successful surface, reflected in his lowest win percentage there. Humbert, meanwhile, holds a nearly even indoor record but boasts three indoor titles, compared to Alcaraz's none.
Despite this, the Spaniard enters their clash as the favorite, fueled by his blistering form and determination to finish the season strong ahead of the Nitto ATP Finals. Fans can expect a thrilling battle nonetheless between two aggressive, all-court players not afraid to go for their shots.
Pick: Alcaraz to win in three sets.