A couple on intriguing semifinal matchups are on the menu in Paris on Saturday, headlined by Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Felix Auger-Aliassime and Holger Rune are also aiming for a place in the title match.
(6) Novak Djokovic vs. (5) Stefanos Tsitsipas
Djokovic and Tsitsipas will be squaring off for the 11th time in their careers when they meet again in the semifinals of the Rolex Paris Masters on Saturday. The head-to-head series stands at 8-2 in favor of Djokovic, who is 2-0 on indoor hard courts and 2-0 this season. They most recently faced each other in the Astana final, with the 35-year-old Serb prevailing 6-3, 6-4.
There is little reason to think Tsitsipas can turned the tide in this one. Although Djokovic has played a bit of an abbreviated schedule in 2022, he is looking like the best player in the world and rolling into the Nitto ATP Finals. The 21-time Grand Slam champion is coming off consecutive titles in Tel Aviv and Astana and he has lost only one set in his last 12 matches. Tsitsipas has not won a title since Mallorca in late June and that drought will likely continue.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
Holger Rune vs. (8) Felix Auger-Aliassime
Along with Djokovic, Auger-Aliassime and Rune are among the hottest player on tour. In fact, whoever wins on Saturday will reach a fourth consecutive final. Auger-Aliassime is actually going for four title in the span of four weeks, having previously triumphed in Florence, Antwerp, and Basel. The eighth-ranked Canadian has extended his winning streak to 16 matches with Paris victories over Mikael Ymer, Gilles Simon, and Frances Tiafoe.
Rune finished runner-up to Auger-Aliassime in Basel (6-3, 7-5) in what was their only previous encounter. That was preceded by a runner-up effort in Sofia and a title in Stockholm. The 19-year-old Dane has remained red hot by advancing past Stan Wawrinka (in a third-set tiebreaker), Hubert Hurkacz, Andrey Rublev, and Carlos Alcaraz (via second-set retirement). Rune has endured a slightly tougher path in Paris and Auger-Aliassime will take confidence from their recent result, but this should be a great match.
Pick: Auger-Aliassime in 3
WWW?
Medvedev haha
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdydUiOYLHQ&t=251s
Tsitsipas is hopeless, a winnable match and he would lose it in the end, as usual! I wonder what he and his team could do to solve his problem!
I think he has to train hard to hit with precision on the run; and he must have the killer instinct, something he lacks, unlike Alcaraz and Rune, both have that aplenty!
He does well in spite of a few limitations with his game .And the mental side.