Humbert knocks out Alcaraz to join Zverev and Tsitsipas in Paris Masters quarterfinals

PARIS (AP) — Frenchman Ugo Humbert harnessed the energy of the home crowd and produced one of his best career performances in beating Carlos Alcaraz 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters on Thursday.

A flurry of forehand and backhand winners had Alcaraz 5-0 down in a first set so one-sided that Alcaraz — a four-time Grand Slam winner — ironically waved his racket and grinned to the crowd after holding in the sixth game.

“There were some incredible points, I think I have just experienced one of my greatest moments on a tennis court," Humbert said. "I don't want it to end here."

The second-seeded Alcaraz controlled the second set but, after missing chances during the third set, served to stay in the match. The crowd jeered a replayed point but Alcaraz was unperturbed and held comfortably for 5-5.

Sensing a big upset, Humbert got the Bercy Arena crowd going in the next game.

The 26-year-old left-hander looked like he was about to do a lap of honor after a brilliant forehand pass down the line at full stretch and earned ovations following a superb angled volley and a booming winner that flew past his Spanish opponent.

“I have to congratulate Ugo. His performance has been really high,” Alcaraz said. “The way he hits the ball is unbelievable.”

Alcaraz said Hubert deserved victory, but added that the unusually high speed of the court made it more difficult for him — especially with the low trajectory of Humbert's shots.

“The stats came out that this is the fastest court in the Masters 1000, probably on the tour,” the 21-year-old Spaniard said. “For example, the Davis Cup indoor court (was) way slower."

A rattled-looking Alcaraz trailed 0-30 in the 12th game. Umpire Richard Haigh intervened to calm the crowd, urging them not to cheer when Alcaraz made a fault on serve and then said in English “Guys, you're affecting both players.”

Serving again to stay in the match at 15-40, Alcaraz saved one match point but returned long on the next as the 15th-seeded Humbert set up a last-eight contest with Australian Jordan Thompson.

Eighth-seeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov beat Arthur Rinderknech 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (5) to have an outside chance of reaching the season-ending ATP Finals. Dimitrov, who served 17 aces, needs to reach Sunday's final and next faces 2018 champion Karen Khachanov.

Earlier, Alexander Zverev silenced the raucous home crowd, beating French prospect Arthur Fils 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

The third-seeded German compiled 16 aces compared to nine for the 20-year-old Fils in their first indoor meeting.

“I am happy I hung in there today,” Zverev said. “He is a great player and has improved a lot this year. I am looking forward to the next few battles we are going to have.”

Zverev, the French Open runner-up, saved three break points in serving for the match at 5-3.

“The atmosphere here is a lot louder than at Roland Garros,” the 27-year-old Zverev said. “The crowd is on top of you.”

He next plays 10th-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in their 16th career meeting, with Tsitsipas 10-5 up.

The big-serving Greek earlier rallied to beat Francisco Cerundolo 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-2 to stay in contention to qualify for next month’s Finals in Turin, the year-end tournament gathering the season's top eight players.

Although Tsitsipas hit nine aces and saved all three break points, he converted only three of his 11 break-point chances.

In other third-round matches, ninth-seeded Alex De Minaur kept up his chances of reaching the Finals with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 victory against Britain's Jack Draper, the U.S. Open semifinalist, and 2022 champion Holger Rune edged out lucky loser Arthur Cazaux 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Khachanov won 7-6 (5), 6-4 against Alexei Popyrin and Thompson advanced to the first Masters quarterfinal of his career by beating veteran Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 7-6 (5).

Top-ranked Jannik Sinner pulled out of the Paris Masters as did the record seven-time champion Djokovic.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

France's Arthur Fils returns the ball to Germany's Alexander Zverev during their third round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Germany's Alexander Zverev returns the ball to France's Arthur Fils during their third round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after defeating France's Arthur Fils in third round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

France's Ugo Humbert backhands to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their third round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

France's Ugo Humbert returns the ball to Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their third round match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz slams a forehand to France's Ugo Humbert during their third round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

France's Ugo Humbert clenches his fist after winning a point as he plays Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their third round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz reacts as he plays France's Ugo Humbert during their third round match of the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Spain's Carlos Alcaraz reacts as he plays France's Ugo Humbert in a third round match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

France's Ugo Humbert celebrates after defeating Spain's Carlos Alcaraz during their third round match at the Paris Masters tennis tournament at the Accor Arena, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)