Paul beats 2022 champion Rune to keep his Turin hopes alive in Paris

Twelfth seed Tommy Paul of the United States beat 2022 champion Holger Rune of Denmark 7-5, 6-4 in 1 hour 21 minutes in the first round of the Rolex Paris Masters on Tuesday to stay in the race for the Nitto ATP Finals. He will face Spaniard Daniel Merida in the second round.

Paul started the day 13th in the Race to Turin, with 2,735 points. He needs at least the final in Paris to stay in contention, and only the title would make sure of his place.

Rune, ranked No. 195, was back in Paris on a protected ranking.

You might also like this

Why Cobolli could afford to skip Paris, with a 99.8 percent chance of Turin

tennis majors

Djokovic links his upturn since the US Open to the easing of his physical problems

tennis majors

Rolex Paris Masters 2026: draw, seeds, schedule and how to watch

tennis majors

Merida beat lucky loser Sebastian Baez 6-4, 6-2 on Monday on his Paris Masters debut.

Paul could meet seventh seed Frances Tiafoe, also in the race for Turin, in the third round. Tiafoe faces Quentin Halys in the second 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) d. Valentin Vacherot 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-1
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) d. Holger Rune (PR) 7-5, 6-4
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)