A maiden crown in the French capital will return Sinner to number one in the world rankings
\n PARIS
\nJannik Sinner eased past Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 at the Paris Masters on Thursday to set up a quarter-final clash with Ben Shelton, while reigning champion Alexander Zverev earned a straight-sets win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round.
\nA maiden crown in the French capital will return Sinner to number one in the world rankings after current incumbent Carlos Alcaraz suffered a shock early exit at the hands of Britain\u2019s Cameron Norrie.
\nThe Italian four-time Grand Slam champion is yet to drop a set in the tournament as he hones in on what would be a fifth title of the season.
\n\u201cToday I felt like the first set was very crucial. Francisco is a very talented player, it\u2019s very difficult to play against him because his level is very high,\u201d Sinner said on-court.
\n\u201cIn the second set I raised the level… and I\u2019m very happy to be in the quarter-finals here for the first time.\u201d
\nSinner edged a close first set, which featured four consecutive breaks, when he pounced on 21st-ranked Argentinian Cerundolo\u2019s serve at 6-5 to seize the initiative.
\nThe 24-year-old then immediately stepped it up in the second set, racing into a 5-1 lead before serving out to book a meeting with US fifth seed Shelton in Friday\u2019s quarter-finals.
\nShelton beat Russia\u2019s Andrey Rublev 7-6 (8\/6), 6-3 to reach the last eight.
\nThe victory marked another landmark moment for the 23-year-old this season \u2014 following on from his first 1000-level title, won in Toronto this summer \u2014 as he will make his debut appearance at the ATP Finals in Turin.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s an accumulation of a year\u2019s work, a lot of ups-and-downs, great results, poor results and having to bounce back,\u201d Shelton said of reaching the season-ending event.
\n\u2018My kryptonite\u2019
\nZverev continued his title defence with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Spanish 15th seed Davidovich Fokina in the day\u2019s final match-up.
\nThe German third seed will next meet an old foe in former world number one Daniil Medvedev, who fought past Lorenzo Sonego of Italy in three sets.
\nZverev and Medvedev have met twice before in the Paris Masters, with the now-11th seeded Russian winning on both occasions, including the title-match in 2020.
\n\u201cDaniil is somebody that I know extremely well and he beats me most of the time. He\u2019s a bit like my kryptonite,\u201d Zverev admitted.
\nEarlier, Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan beat US fourth seed Taylor Fritz 7-6 (7\/5), 6-2 to set up a last-eight clash with Australian world number six Alex de Minaur.
\nDespite arguably being in the form of his life in 2025, 13th seed Bublik said it would require something miraculous for him to win a career-first Masters title.
\n\u201cI have three matches to go, I have to beat the top ten players, maybe Jannik in the final, so that sounds a bit like a miracle,\u201d the 28-year-old said.
\nBublik\u2019s next opponent, De Minaur, eased past Russian 10th seed Karen Khachanov 6-2, 6-2, and in the process cemented his place at next month\u2019s ATP Finals.
\nCanada\u2019s Felix Auger-Aliassime reached the quarter-finals as he came from behind for the third time in as many matches in Paris to beat German Daniel Altmaier 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
\nThe ninth seed is one spot outside the last ATP Finals berth, which is currently occupied by Lorenzo Musetti, who lost Wednesday to Sonego.
\nThat result coupled with an Auger-Aliassime charge to the title-decider in Paris would send the 25-year-old above the Italian in the race to the eight-man showpiece.
\nHowever, before he can think too much about that, Auger-Aliassime must stop the in-form Valentin Vacherot of Monaco.
\nThe Shanghai Masters champion continued his sensational run by ousting Norrie in straight sets in the opening match on centre court.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A maiden crown in the French capital will return Sinner to number one in the world rankings PARIS Jannik Sinner eased past Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 at the Paris Masters on Thursday to set up a quarter-final clash with Ben Shelton, while reigning champion Alexander Zverev earned a straight-sets win over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-511976","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n