Tuesday tennis acca tips: Paris Masters all about the Race to Turin

The Race to Turin remains the big talking point surrounding the Paris Masters.

The final ATP 1000 event of the season sees the best in the world return to the ATP Tour, with Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic back in action later in the week.

Here, we take a look at a handful of first-round matches on Tuesday, 31 October 2023.

 

Paris Masters: Daniel Altmaier vs Arthur Fils | Pick: Fils

Paris Masters: Dusan Lajovic vs Benjamin Bonzi | Pick: Lajovic

Paris Masters: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Jan-Lennard Struff | Pick: Auger-Aliassime

Paris Masters: Gael Monfils vs Francisco Cerundolo | Pick: Monfils

Paris Masters: JJ Wolf vs Mackenzie McDonald | Pick: Wolf

Paris Masters: Marton Fucsovics vs Alexander Zverev | Pick: Zverev

Paris Masters: Sebastian Korda vs Hubert Hurkacz | Pick: Hurkacz

Paris Masters: Ugo Humbert vs Marcos Giron | Pick: Humbert

 

Paris Masters: Daniel Altmaier vs Arthur Fils 

Arthur Fils came close to becoming a titlist on the ATP Tour for the second time this season during his Antwerp run.

Fils is back at home and ready to shine in front of a French crowd but has a tricky opponent in Daniel Altmaier.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the players at any level and comes as Fils surged to a new career high.

Altmaier is likely to struggle to match the Frenchman for momentum and form right now, and it's tough to see a path to victory for the German.

 

Paris Masters: Dusan Lajovic vs Benjamin Bonzi

Home players feature heavily on Tuesday, but Benjamin Bonzi will be up against it to prove his worth against Dusan Lajovic.

These players have met twice in Challenger Tour action but haven't clashed since 2018 and have never split a full Tour match.

Each has won a single Challenger Tour meeting against the other, and this will be a big test for both.

Home advantage might come into play, but Lajovic has the experience to counteract that.

 

Paris Masters: Felix Auger-Aliassime vs Jan-Lennard Struff  

There isn't much in terms of the rankings to split Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jan-Lennard Struff, and their past meetings give no great indication of which way this will go.

Auger-Aliassime and Struff have each won one meeting in their head-to-head, with both clashes coming in 2020.

What Auger-Aliassime has in his favour is having a title in the bag from last week.

However, he will have to avoid the dreaded ATP title hangover that has struck many champions this term.

 

Paris Masters: Gael Monfils vs Francisco Cerundolo

The crowd will undoubtedly be there for Gael Monfils when he faces Francisco Cerundolo.

Monfils will be the big home favourite but has struggled with injury this season.

Cerundolo has also been in handy form, albeit on clay and not indoor hard courts.

Monfils should hold the edge with his experience and playing in front of a home crowd.

 

Paris Masters: JJ Wolf vs Mackenzie McDonald

It's a pair of Americans facing off in Paris to prove the depth of their men's game at the moment.

Both of these players might be starting to feel that the ATP Tour could be passing by for them, but more so for McDonald as he approaches 30.

Wolf is the younger, hungrier player, and that should give him an edge in this contest.

Wolf has been better on indoor hard courts this season, and that may just be the indicator that points to a victory for the younger man.

 

Paris Masters: Marton Fucsovics vs Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev is out to seal his return to the ATP Tour finals after missing out through injury in 2022.

Zverev will need to go deep if any of his close rivals for spaces in Turin do well in Paris.

The German No 1 will get a better picture of his permutations as the tournament goes on.

It won't do for him to focus too much on what he needs to do instead of his game.

 

Paris Masters: Sebastian Korda vs Hubert Hurkacz

Hubert Hurkacz missed out on a chance to close within 15 rankings points of Holger Rune in eighth place on the Race to Turin standings.

Hurkacz lost the Basel final over the weekend but needs to bounce back if he is to continue his push.

Hurkacz needs to make up points on the top eight and could seal a place with a tournament win or run to the final.

He faces a tough young American first up with Seb Korda, also a recent titlist.

 

Paris Masters: Ugo Humbert vs Marcos Giron

Ugo Humbert is perhaps the form player among the home hopes with an encouraging recent run from the up-and-comer.

Humbert beat Marcos Giron just last week as we tipped him to do, and should overcome the American journeyman again.

This is the third meeting between the players, with Humbert having won both of their clashes.

In front of a home crowd, Humbert will be desperate for a repeat of Basel, although he likely would prefer not to be taken to three sets.