Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz handed tricky 2025 Paris Masters paths as early Shanghai final rematch on the cards

Oliver Paton
Pictured L-R: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.
ATP Tour stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

The draw for the final Masters 1000 event of the season has been revealed, with both Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner facing early Parisian challenges.

Terence Atmane, Arthur Cazaux, Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot have all received the allocated main draw wildcards.

The 16 seeded players receive a first-round bye, and the top seeds are: Alcaraz (1), Sinner (2), Alexander Zverev (3), Taylor Fritz (4), Ben Shelton (5), Alex de Minaur (6), Lorenzo Musetti (7), and Casper Ruud (8)

Novak Djokovic, Holger Rune, Frances Tiafoe, and Jack Draper all withdrew prior to the draw.

This year’s edition has changed venue from Accor Arena to La Défense Arena, where the main stadium will hold around 17,000 spectators from October 27 – November 2.

At last year’s event, Alexander Zverev defeated Frenchman Ugo Humbert to collect a seventh Masters 1000 title.

Alcaraz will begin his Parisian campaign against either Cameron Norrie or Sebastian Baez. The Spaniard possesses five wins and four losses at the event, losing to eventual finalist Humbert in a tight three-set match at last year’s edition.

Should the world No 1 get through his opening match, he is projected to face 14th seed Jiri Lehecka – who he lost to in their last best-of-three set hard-court match (Qatar Open 2025).

However, Valentin Vacherot or Arthur Rinderknech – who contested the Shanghai final – may, instead, await the Spaniard.

Alcaraz is then projected to face Stockholm champion Ruud or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last eight, with Fritz and de Minaur possible semi-final showdowns.

The world No 1 hasn’t played a tour-level match since his triumph at the ATP 500 event in Tokyo.

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Meanwhile, Sinner – who was recently victorious at the Six Kings Slam – will open against world No 34 Alex Michelsen or Belgian Zizou Bergs.

Miami Masters champion Jakub Mensik is projected to await in the next round, however, is yet to play a main-draw match at the event.

Big-serving Shelton is projected to be the world No 2’s quarter-final hurdle, with familiar foe Andrey Rublev as an alternative option.

Sinner would then likely come face-to-face with defending champion Zverev, should the German get past seventh-seeded Musetti.

Recent Almaty champion Daniil Medvedev lurks in the Italian’s eighth, with the Russian dominating his head-to-head with Zverev 14-7, including eight of the nine most recent meetings.

Paris Masters 2025 projected quarter-finals:

(1) Carlos Alcaraz vs Casper Ruud (8)

(4) Taylor Fritz vs Alex de Minaur (6)

(7)Lorenzo Musetti vs Alexander Zverev (3)

(5) Ben Shelton vs Jannik Sinner (2)

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