“It’s gaining momentum”: over 200,000 fans and a fast court that stays, Pioline sums up the 2026 Rolex Paris Masters

Cedric Pioline, director of the Rolex Paris Masters, took stock of the 40th edition on Sunday, a few hours before the final between Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton. For the second year in a row, the tournament drew more than 200,000 spectators.

“2025 was the year of change. 2026 is, in a way, the year of confirmation,” he said in French. This year, the tournament did not fall during the school holidays, “an additional and different challenge,” according to him. “The Rolex Paris Masters is settling into this arena and creating habits for all the people who want to see the best players in the world.”

A faster court, and more net approaches

Players found the court faster this year. Pioline sees that as a good thing. “I haven’t seen players come to the net as much as this week for a long time,” he said. “It’s better than a court that is too slow.” The speed should stay similar in 2027. “We always try to find the right balance. Every style of play must be able to flourish.”

Stefan Edberg believes serve-and-volley will come back. Not everyone shares the enthusiasm: after losing to Buse, Daniil Medvedev said that here, hitting a winner was “almost impossible.” “This topic is very subjective,” Pioline acknowledged. “Depending on the style of play, on the different players, some are happier than others.”

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Umpires too quick to call for silence

The centre court “feels much more alive this year,” Pioline said, with “fans who have made the place their own.” Asked about umpires repeatedly calling for silence early in the tournament, he acknowledged the problem. “On our side, we noticed the same thing,” he said in French. “Having rules is good. But sometimes, it comes down to how the rule is interpreted, and to sensitivity.”

“When you are in the chair with a microphone, when you are in charge in a way, you need a certain sensitivity to read an arena,” he added. The tournament is talking to the umpires “to make them aware of it.”

No bigger draw

Paris will keep its 56-player draw over one week, unlike other Masters 1000 events spread over nearly two weeks. “For a tournament at the end of the year, it’s better to have a small format because the players are tired,” Pioline said, citing the 80 matches he said Alexander Zverev had played before Paris. “We will keep things as they are.”

Van Assche, “the great adventure of this tournament”

Pioline praised the French players’ runs, “in particular Luca Van Assche, who was the great adventure of this tournament,” before Shelton beat him in the semi-finals. He also pointed out that Arthur Fils secured his ATP Finals qualification in Paris.

The winner’s ceremony, which changes this year, should stay. “It will be an improvement on what we had before,” Pioline said, adding that bringing together former champions from several generations for the 40th edition was a success. “I’m convinced that in the coming editions, there will be even more great matches and atmosphere.”