World number two Carlos Alcaraz admitted he "was not up to the level" of 18th-ranked Ugo Humbert of France who swept to a shock Paris Masters third round victory over the Spanish superstar on Thursday. Left-handed Humbert came through 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 to register his first win over the French Open and Wimbledon champion having lost twice to Alcaraz earlier in 2024. It was a testing evening for Alcaraz who was 0-5 down in the first set before he managed to get on the board.
"It was a very intense match. I started with some doubts about my game. Against a player who attacks whenever he can, who hits very aggressively at the slightest opportunity, it wasn't easy to get into the match," admitted Alcaraz.
"I was not up to the level he displayed. Ugo's performance was really high. The way he hits the ball is incredible.
" Humbert, who has two titles from Marseille and Dubai in 2024, said he was "super proud of myself". "It was a crazy match, a crazy atmosphere." The 21-year-old Alcaraz has endured a rollercoaster second half of the season since his heartbreaking Paris Olympics final loss to Novak Djokovic.
He was knocked out in the second round of the US Open by 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp, defeated top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the Beijing final before a quarter-final exit at the hands of Tomas Machac, the world number 33, at the Shanghai Masters. Humbert goes on to face Australia's Jordan Thompson for a place in the Paris Masters semi-finals. The French number one just edged Al.