Berrettini completes his Masters 1000 set by beating Nakashima in Paris
Matteo Berrettini beat 14th seed Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8) for his first win in Paris, the only Masters 1000 event where he had yet to win a match. The Italian faces Ugo Humbert next.
Matteo Berrettini, Rolex Paris Masters 2026 | © Michel Baucher / PsNewz
Italy’s Matteo Berrettini beat 14th seed Brandon Nakashima of the United States 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8) in the first round of the Rolex Paris Masters on Tuesday, his first win at the event. The Italian, ranked No. 43, will face Frenchman Ugo Humbert in the second round.
Paris was the only Masters 1000 tournament where Berrettini had yet to win a match, according to the ATP. He has now won at least one match at all nine.
Berrettini edges Nakashima in a final-set tie-break
Berrettini took the opening set 6-4 on Court 2 and Nakashima levelled 6-3. The Italian won the deciding tie-break 10-8.
He now leads Nakashima 2-1 in their meetings, after a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-3 win at the 2022 Australian Open. Nakashima had won their last meeting 7-6 (4), 7-5 in the first round in Shanghai this season.
Berrettini reached the quarter-finals in Vienna last week, after Flavio Cobolli retired against him trailing 5-2 in the first set of their second-round match.
Nakashima, a finalist in Brisbane and at the Montreal Masters this season, was bidding for a main-draw win at an eighth different Masters 1000 event.
Humbert, the 2024 runner-up, beat Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-3 on Monday and could meet second seed Carlos Alcaraz in the third round.
Rolex Paris Masters 2026 first-round results
Lorenzo Musetti d. Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10)
Luca Van Assche d. Mariano Navone 6-3, 7-5
Learner Tien (15) d. Adolfo Daniel Vallejo (LL) 6-3, 5-7, 7-5
Novak Djokovic (10) vs Valentin Vacherot (Tuesday)
Rinky Hijikata (Q) d. Luciano Darderi 6-2, 6-2
Tomas Martin Etcheverry d. Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3)
Cameron Norrie d. Matteo Arnaldi 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
Mattia Bellucci (Q) d. Lorenzo Sonego (Q) 6-4, 6-3
Arthur Rinderknech d. Francisco Cerundolo (16) 3-6, 7-6 (2), 2-0 ret.
Tommy Paul (12) vs Holger Rune (PR) (Tuesday)
Daniel Merida d. Sebastian Baez (LL) 6-4, 6-2
Quentin Halys d. Arthur Fery 7-6 (6), 7-5
Jan-Lennard Struff (SE) vs Arthur Gea (WC) (Tuesday)
Casper Ruud d. Juan Manuel Cerundolo (Q) 6-3, 6-2
Rafael Jodar (9) d. Alejandro Tabilo 6-2, 6-3
Nuno Borges (LL) d. Moise Kouame (WC) 6-3, 6-1
Karen Khachanov d. Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-7 (6), 1-4 ret.
Ignacio Buse d. Zizou Bergs 6-2, 6-4
Tomas Machac (Q) d. Kyrian Jacquet (WC) 7-6 (7), 6-1
Alex Molcan (Q) d. Titouan Droguet (WC) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Benjamin Bonzi (Q) vs Taylor Fritz (11) (Tuesday)
Matteo Berrettini d. Brandon Nakashima (14) 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8)
Ugo Humbert d. Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-3
Alex Michelsen vs Jiri Lehecka (Tuesday)
