Paris Masters: Semi-finals set as de Minaur, Thompson crash out

The semi-finalists of the Paris Masters have been found, with Australians Alex de Minaur and Jordan Thompson both falling short on Friday.

De Minaur took on world No.13 Holger Rune, losing in a tight three-setter, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to improve the Dane’s record in Paris to 12-1.

It was a case of what could have been for de Minaur, who came within two points of winning the match and making his second Masters 1000 semi-final appearance.

“He was putting so much up against me,” Rune said after the match.

“He was making every ball with quality, deep in the court and the court is quite fast here.

“I had to adjust my game a little bit and it was a constant battle but how I treated the last couple of games was very good.

“I went for it, I got it, and I am very happy.”

Rune, who won the event in 2022, will face No.3 seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals, and is a $3 underdog to prevail after the German eased past Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-4 in his quarter-final.

The victory means that Rune keeps his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals alive, while Alex de Minaur is yet to confirm his spot but sits in eighth place despite losing in the Paris quarter-finals.

Compatriot Thompson took to the court after de Minaur and also fell in a tight 6-2, 7-6 (4) clash against home favourite Ugo Humbert.

The Frenchman made a lightening quick start to claim the first set, reminiscent of his upset over second seed Carlos Alcaraz.

But Thompson fought back and served for the set in the second, only to drop serve and lose in a tiebreaker.

“If there’s a third set, there’s a third set, that’s what I thought when I was broken,” Humbert said afterwards.

“You have to accept it.

“But I felt focused no matter what.

“I keep in mind matches where I was too passive.

“Here I am in mode: ‘go for it, and, if you miss, you miss, but no regret’.”

Humbert goes on to play Karen Khachanov in his maiden Masters 1000 semi-final appearance, after the Russian beat Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 to end the Bulgarian’s hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals.

Tennis betting sites put Humbert as a slight favourite to defeat Khachanov, with Marantelli Bet paying $1.72 for the Frenchman and $2.10 for his opponent.

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