Carlos Alcaraz loses to Roman Safiullin, Novak Djokovic returns in doubles

Spain’s rising tennis star, Carlos Alcaraz, suffered a surprising defeat in the Paris Masters, jeopardizing his chances of finishing the year as the world number one. He was defeated by Russian qualifier Roman Safiullin in an intense match.

Carlos Alcaraz, currently ranked world number two, faced off against the 45th-ranked Safiullin after receiving a bye in the first round. However, Safiullin’s superb performance proved to be too much for Alcaraz, who struggled to find answers against the relentless Russian.

This loss puts Alcaraz in a challenging position as he aims to surpass Novak Djokovic and claim the top spot in the rankings before the season concludes.

It is worth noting that Carlos Alcaraz, who secured his second Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in July, recently withdrew from the Basel tournament due to injury.

Despite moving ahead in each set, Alcaraz was unable to maintain his lead against Safiullin. The Russian qualifier showcased impressive skills, particularly in his return game and net play, ultimately securing the biggest victory of his career.

Speaking about his win, Safiullin stated, “Against Carlos, you have to elevate your game, and I managed to do just that.” He further acknowledged that while Alcaraz may not have been at his best physically, defeating him still presented a significant challenge.

Safiullin’s next opponent in the tournament will be fellow Russian Karen Khachanov in the last 16.

Prior to this match, Novak Djokovic made his return to competitive tennis with a doubles victory alongside fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic. The world number one, who hasn’t played in an ATP tournament since his US Open win, partnered with Kecmanovic to secure a 6-4 6-2 victory over Gonzalo Escobar and Aleksandr Nedovyesov.

Now, Djokovic is preparing for his singles campaign, where he will face Tomas Martin Etcheverry from Argentina in the first round.

In unfortunate news, American ninth seed Taylor Fritz was forced to withdraw due to an abdominal injury before his second-round match. This setback significantly impacts his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals next month.

Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev and Hubert Hurkacz, both aiming for a spot in the Turin event, secured victories in their opening matches in Paris. Zverev, the 10th seed, came from a set down to defeat Marton Fucsovics, while 11th seed Hurkacz triumphed in a hard-fought match against Sebastian Korda.

Another notable win came from Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev, who dominated his match against Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka with a score of 6-4 6-3.