Zverev drops Paris Masters opener
The new world No. 1 lost to Lorenzo Musetti on Wednesday and called the performance one of his worst in months.
By Adewale Fletcher ·
Alexander Zverev lost his first match as the world No. 1 in Paris on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old German fell to Lorenzo Musetti by a score of 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the second round of the Paris Masters. Zverev took over the top ranking on Monday after winning the French Open and the U.S. Open this season.
Zverev described his play as poor during a post-match interview. "Yeah, I was bad. It’s quite simple," he said. "This was not a very good match for me, I think maybe one of the worst in the last couple of months."
The Italian player dominated the contest with 29 winners against 25 for Zverev. Musetti also committed fewer unforced errors, totaling 12 compared to Zverev's 21. Zverev noted the surface was very fast, a condition he typically prefers for his aggressive style.
The new ranking did not silence questions about his standing. Zverev said he felt annoyed that he must explain his place at the top. "The No. 1 status is something that I think every player dreams of," he stated. "But then I feel like I’m the only world No. 1 in tennis history that has to explain why it’s okay for me to be world No. 1, which I find quite difficult because I think I deserve to be where I am."
Other top seeds also struggled on the same day. Frances Tiafoe lost 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (9) to Quentin Halys despite saving four match points. That result sent Arthur Fils to the ATP Finals, making him the first Frenchman to qualify since Gael Monfils in 2016.
Daniil Medvedev dropped his second-round match 6-4, 6-4 to Ignacio Buse. Novak Djokovic faced qualifier Rinky Hijikata later in the day. Djokovic must reach the semifinals to keep a chance at the ATP Finals in Turin, where only two spots remain open.
