Alexander Zverev ends Holger Rune's Turin hopes, reaches Paris Masters final

Alexander Zverev will play for a first Rolex Paris Masters title after defeating a resurgent Holger Rune in Saturday's semifinals, 6-3, 7-6(4).

The third-seeded German was runner-up to Daniil in Paris in 2020, but will be the favorite to take home a seventh career ATP Masters 1000 crown when he faces home hope Ugo Humbert for the trophy. Humbert, the No. 15 seed, outlasted another former Paris champion, Karen Khachanov, in three sets in the second semifinal to become the first French man to reach the final in Bercy in more than a decade.

Zverev's third win over Rune this year was notable, too, for three reasons. The one-hour and 46-minute triumph not only clinched him a 12th Masters 1000 final berth, but it assured of returning to the world No. 2 ranking on Monday, passing Carlos. It also ended Rune's mathematical chances of qualifying for the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, Italy for the second year in a row.

The Dane's slim hopes for qualifying for the year-end championships hinged on him not just winning his second title at the Accor Arena, but winning out for the rest of his season. Four wins for Rune, including two three-set affairs against France's Arthur Cazaux and No. 9 seed Alex de Minaur, ahead of him in the Turin standings, showed his fighting qualities, and that continued on Saturday against Zverev.

Rune trailed for much of the match, but came alive late in the second set: He broke Zverev for the first time all day when he served for victory at 6-3, 5-4, and held serve in a 10-plus-minute game to lead 6-5.

But the two-time Grand Slam finalist, who beat Rune on the way to another Paris final at Roland Garros this spring, had the final word by winning five of the first seven points of the tiebreak.

"I feel like I made it a little difficult for myself but he is a champion. It is probably his favourite tournament and favourite court, but I am happy to be in my second final here," Zverev said. "I am looking forward to it."

Zverev had been 0-4 in tour-level semifinals on hard courts this year entering Saturday, and bids for his biggest hard-court title since winning the ATP Finals in 2021.