Alcaraz edges Michelsen in a tie-break to set up Berrettini clash in Paris
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz came through a tight tie-break before pulling away to beat Alex Michelsen 7-6 (4), 6-3 at the Rolex Paris, building on the momentum of his Vienna title. Michelsen, ranked 35th, was bidding to become the first man younger than Alcaraz to beat him. Next up is Matteo Berrettini, whom the Spaniard leads 3-1 head-to-head.
Carlos Alcaraz, Rolex Paris Masters 2026 | © Michel Baucher / PsNewz
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz of Spain won a tight opening set before pulling away to beat American Alex Michelsen 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the second round of the Paris Masters 1000 on Wednesday. The match lasted 1 hour 42 minutes. The World No. 3 will face Matteo Berrettini in the third round, after Berrettini beat France’s Ugo Humbert 7-6 (3), 7-5.
He had arrived on a five-match winning streak after capturing his fourth title of the season in Vienna, where he beat Australia’s Alex de Minaur 6-1, 6-4 in the final. Michelsen, ranked 35th, was bidding to become the first man younger than Alcaraz to beat him.
In the second set, Alcaraz saved a break point at 3-3, then broke on his third chance in the following game to lead 5-3. He served out the match on his second match point. Alcaraz hit 26 winners to Michelsen’s 12 and won 77 percent of the points behind his second serve.
Alcaraz leads Berrettini 3-1 in their head-to-head, most recently winning 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2023. “I’m pretty sure at some point I will do great in this tournament,” Alcaraz said at his pre-tournament press conference on Monday, adding that “it will happen sooner than later.”
Rolex Paris Masters 2026 second-round results
Lorenzo Musetti d. Alexander Zverev (1) 7-6 (5), 6-2
Luca Van Assche d. Learner Tien (15) 7-6 (4), 6-4
Rinky Hijikata (Q) d. Novak Djokovic (10) 2-6, 6-3, 6-3
Tomas Martin Etcheverry d. Alex de Minaur (8) 7-6 (2), 6-3
Ben Shelton (3) d. Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4
Arthur Rinderknech d. Mattia Bellucci (Q) 6-4, 6-1
Tommy Paul (12) d. Daniel Merida 6-1, 6-1
Quentin Halys d. Frances Tiafoe (7) 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (9)
Thiago Agustin Tirante (LL) vs Jan-Lennard Struff (SE)
Casper Ruud d. Rafael Jodar (9) 6-3, 6-4
Nuno Borges (LL) d. Karen Khachanov 6-3, 6-4
Ignacio Buse d. Daniil Medvedev (4) 6-4, 6-4
Arthur Fils (6) vs Tomas Machac (Q)
Taylor Fritz (11) d. Alex Molcan (Q) 6-7 (6), 7-5, 7-6 (5)
Matteo Berrettini d. Ugo Humbert 7-6 (3), 7-5
Carlos Alcaraz (2) d. Alex Michelsen 7-6 (4), 6-3
In bold: today’s results.
