Alexander Zverev’s first match as world No. 1 ended in defeat, with Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti beating him 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 in the Paris Masters second round on Wednesday. The match lasted one hour and 40 minutes.
Zverev, who is guaranteed to remain atop the rankings through the end of the year, made an early exit from the tournament. Musetti, ranked 24th and formerly as high as No. 5, became the fifth player to beat an opponent in his first match after that player reached No. 1.
The opening set turned on a dramatic tiebreak. After both players saved break points in consecutive games, Zverev took a 5-2 lead, but Musetti won five points in a row and closed the set with a wide serve that Zverev could not return.
Musetti carried that momentum into the second set, making just two unforced errors and breaking Zverev’s serve twice. After the match, Zverev said Musetti had played very well while he had played poorly, calling it one of his worst performances in the previous two months.
Musetti will face Frenchman Luca Van Assche, ranked 47th, in the round of 16. Van Assche advanced with an upset of American Learner Tien, ranked 19th.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Tommy Paul beat Spain’s Daniel Mérida 6-1, 6-1, while Quentin Halys defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (11-9). Tiafoe’s loss secured Frenchman Arthur Fils a place at the ATP Finals, scheduled to run from November 15 to 22 in Turin.
Sources: Folha Esporte.