By Karim Hammam
Alexander Zverev suffered a straight-sets defeat to Lorenzo Musetti in his first match as world No. 1 at the Paris Masters.
Match details
Zverev, 29, led 5-2 in the first-set tie-break before Musetti won six of the last seven points to take the set 7-6(5). The Italian then broke for 2-1 and 5-2 in the second set, closing out a 6-2 victory in one hour and 40 minutes at La Defense Arena.
Musetti's resurgence
Musetti, ranked No. 24, has won eight of his last nine ATP Tour matches, including his first title in four years at Lyon last month. The two-time Grand Slam semifinalist hit 29 winners and eight aces against Zverev.
Zverev's Masters drought continues
The loss extends Zverev's wait for a Masters 1000 title to two seasons, with his last triumph coming in Paris in 2024.
Fils qualifies for ATP Finals
Earlier on Wednesday, Arthur Fils secured his debut at the ATP Finals, becoming the first Frenchman to compete at the year-end tournament in a decade.
