Ugo Humbert is in top form at the moment, especially at the Paris Masters. The young Frenchman has made a lasting impression as he’s set to play the final against Alexander Zverev today. After dominating the four-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz in the R16, Humbert proved his mettle once again in the SF. Despite facing a tough challenge from Karen Khachanov, Ugo emerged victorious while swaying the fans who have been by his side throughout the event. To put it simply, the Frenchman has become a crowd favorite in the last one week in Paris! Well, the electrifying scenes in Bercy also stunned Humbert’s coach Jeremy Chardy.

Humbert won the semifinal 6-7,6-4,6-3 against Khachanov yesterday. Humbert struck 35 winners against Khachanov. After clearing the SF hurdle against Khachanov, the young star said, “It is amazing to do it in Paris at my favorite tournament. It is a dream.” Sharing his feelings after the match, Ugo expressed his gratitude towards the fans who kept inspiring him to not give up. “I want to convey something. As I said, I’ve been playing with my heart since the beginning of the week and I want to share this moment with them,” said the French player.

More than ever, Ugo Humbert drew strength, energy and confidence from the support of a crowd that was only too happy to be able to experience this last Bercy before the move with a Frenchman in the final. “For me, it’s pure happiness,” the left-hander rejoices. There are 15,000 people behind me…” Per Humbert, the audience at the Paris Masters acted like “a major asset” for him. He got a “feeling that they are there to help” and “push” him and to give him “a second wind.”

While comparing the crowd support for Ugo with that of Davis Cup clashes, where such scenes are common to witness, Chardy said it was all just amazing. “During the match, I was happy because I said to myself ‘this reminds me a bit of the Davis Cup‘ and it’s been a long time since I’ve experienced an atmosphere like this, with sharing with the public. It feels good to experience this,” he said in an interaction with Eurosport.

It’s yet to be seen whether Ugo Humbert will clinch the trophy in today’s final clash. However, his rise this season has been phenomenal, making a huge jump in the ATP rankings.

Ugo Humbert is fast approaching the top 10 list

For those unaware, the Frenchman has gone through a lot of difficulties in his career so far. Last few years have been really tough for him. He battled with Covid while trying to remain in the best of his form. His journey went downhill, from a career-high ATP ranking of No. 25 on 21 June 2021 to a lowly No. 157 on July 18, 2022, due to a series of early round exits and a lack of points earned at Wimbledon after getting infected. The recovery period then took a long time. But things took a positive turn.

He made compatriot Jeremy Chardy his coach in 2022. In 2023, his ranking moved 20 positions from No. 106 to No. 86, which put him back into the top 100. Since then, he’s only continued to improve consistently. After his 2024 Paris Masters SFs win, he has climbed four spots to No. 14 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. A title victory would elevate him to a career-high No. 11 on Monday.

This year, he’s already won the titles like the Open 13 and the Dubai tennis championship. He even made it to the final of the Japan Open. With an entry in the Paris Masters title clash, he’s on the brink of winning his third trophy this season. But the job’s not done yet.

Alexander Zverev is not going to be an ordinary opponent. Similar to Humbert, he’s been impressive as well in the entire tournament. The World No.3 beat Holger Rune in the SF and confirmed his place in the final. As it’s been the case so far, though, the home crowd will certainly back the Frenchman against the German. Who do you think will rise to the big occasion? Let us know in the comments.