Jannik Sinner endured a challenging period during the US Open and Asian swing, suffering back-to-back final defeats to his rival Carlos Alcaraz at the Cincinnati Masters and US Open, followed by a retirement against Tallon Griekspoor at the Shanghai Masters. However, he managed to regain control once the surface changed, capturing the Six Kings Slam title for the second consecutive year and following it up with another triumph in Vienna last week.
While the Vienna title was a welcome result after a period of minor struggles, it may not bring Sinner immense satisfaction since it came without the presence of Carlos Alcaraz, the only real rival who consistently challenges him on tour. That makes this campaign in Paris especially significant, as winning the title in a field that includes Alcaraz would serve as a major morale boost, particularly if he manages to beat the Spaniard along the way.
A title win at the Paris Masters would also carry special meaning for Sinner, as it remains one of the few big tournaments where he has yet to make a deep run. In his previous three appearances, he has advanced beyond the second round only once, reaching the round of 16 in 2023 before withdrawing to preserve his fitness for the ATP Finals in Turin.
Considering Sinner’s history of prioritizing the ATP Finals at the expense of the Paris Masters, it will be interesting to see how he approaches this week, especially after showing signs of cramping during the Vienna final. Ahead of his Paris opener, he said, “I feel in good shape also tennis-wise. So I hope for a good start, and then we see how it goes. The (Vienna) final was very physical. The body feels good now.”
Zizou Bergs could not do much at his home event in Brussels two weeks ago, as he appeared fatigued following his quarterfinal run at the Shanghai Masters and lost to compatriot Raphael Collignon in straight sets. After nearly two weeks of rest, he returned to action at the Paris Masters and opened with a three-set victory over Alex Michelsen in the first round.
The Belgian’s debut Paris Masters campaign in 2024 ended in the second round against Adrian Mannarino, and to avoid another second-round this year, he will need to pull off a top-5 win, something he has never achieved in his career. He is 0–3 against top-5 opponents so far, with all three defeats coming in straight sets.
Head-to-head: 0-0. Jannik Sinner’s fitness has been a concern in recent months, especially after the cramping issues he faced in the Vienna final. Those questions will linger over him on Wednesday and possibly in the coming days, but for now, it is unlikely that Zizou Bergs will have the level or consistency to fully exploit that vulnerability.
