Two last-minute withdrawals at the Paris-Bercy Open open the main draw directly to Luca Van Assche and Matteo Berrettini.
The Paris Masters 1000, set to be contested from 2 to 8 November, loses two of its registered players. Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime, last year's finalist, and Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik announced their withdrawals this Tuesday, 27 October. These exits alter the composition of the tournament's main draw, which typically gathers the world's best players in the French capital.
The absence of the outgoing finalist is the principal news of this announcement. Auger-Aliassime reached the final stage of the competition last year, and his presence had been anticipated by the organisers and the Parisian public alike. Bublik, a figure of the tour known for his unconventional style, will also not take part in this late-season indoor event.
These two withdrawals directly benefit Luca Van Assche and Matteo Berrettini. The Frenchman and the Italian thus enter the main draw without having to go through qualifying. For Van Assche, it is an opportunity to play in a major tournament in front of his home crowd, in an event where the level is high from the first round. Berrettini, for his part, regains a place in a top-level draw at a time when consistency remains his main challenge.
The Paris tournament, held at Bercy, remains one of the last major indoor fixtures of the season. It traditionally brings together part of the world elite ahead of the year-end events. The withdrawals announced just days before the start of play oblige the organisers to adjust their schedule, without calling into question the running of the competition.
It remains to be seen how the two beneficiaries will approach their direct entry into the draw. Their first matches, which will shape the rest of their campaigns, will be closely followed by French and Italian observers.
The absence of the outgoing finalist is the principal news of this announcement. Auger-Aliassime reached the final stage of the competition last year, and his presence had been anticipated by the organisers and the Parisian public alike. Bublik, a figure of the tour known for his unconventional style, will also not take part in this late-season indoor event.
These two withdrawals directly benefit Luca Van Assche and Matteo Berrettini. The Frenchman and the Italian thus enter the main draw without having to go through qualifying. For Van Assche, it is an opportunity to play in a major tournament in front of his home crowd, in an event where the level is high from the first round. Berrettini, for his part, regains a place in a top-level draw at a time when consistency remains his main challenge.
The Paris tournament, held at Bercy, remains one of the last major indoor fixtures of the season. It traditionally brings together part of the world elite ahead of the year-end events. The withdrawals announced just days before the start of play oblige the organisers to adjust their schedule, without calling into question the running of the competition.
It remains to be seen how the two beneficiaries will approach their direct entry into the draw. Their first matches, which will shape the rest of their campaigns, will be closely followed by French and Italian observers.
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Source: Ouest-France