The ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris is set to showcase thrilling matchups, with prominent players Cam Norrie and Jacob Fearnley gearing up to take on tough opponents.
Cam Norrie’s journey begins against Sebastian Baez of Argentina, currently ranked No. 43 in the world. Norrie has demonstrated his prowess against Baez in their previous encounters, winning both matches in Lyon in 2022 and 2023, each a hard-fought battle that went to three sets. Should Norrie succeed in this opening match, he is slated to meet world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the second round. Alcaraz, a six-time Grand Slam champion, is returning to the circuit after clinching the ATP 500 title in Tokyo last month. With an impressive record of 67 wins to only 7 losses this year and a total of eight titles, including triumphs at Roland Garros and the US Open, Alcaraz poses a significant challenge. Their rivalry has seen seven encounters to date, with Alcaraz holding a 5-2 advantage in their head-to-head record, encompassing finals at Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, as well as a quarter-final match at Wimbledon earlier this year.
On the other side of the draw, qualifier Jacob Fearnley will face a daunting challenge against 12th seed Andrey Rublev in the first round. Fearnley has recently made his mark by advancing to the latter stages of the Erste Bank Open, where he narrowly missed out to eventual runner-up Alexander Zverev. This upcoming match will be Fearnley’s first meeting with Rublev, who suffered a defeat to Norrie in the opening round of the Vienna tournament last week. A victory for Fearnley could see him progressing to face either Learner Tien or Nuno Borges in the second round, with a possible matchup against rising star Ben Shelton in the third round.
In addition to the singles action, the doubles competition also draws interest as Lloyd Glasspool, Julian Cash, and Henry Patten have gained first-round byes. Meanwhile, Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski will take on French wild cards Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti, while Luke Johnson and Sander Arends will challenge Nikola Mektic and Austin Krajicek.
Tennis enthusiasts can catch all the excitement of the Rolex Paris Masters exclusively on Sky Sports and NOW TV. This tournament not only serves as a platform for established stars to showcase their talent but also offers rising players like Fearnley a chance to shine on the big stage, making it an event to watch.