Sinner Shines in Paris, Set to Face Shelton in Quarter-Finals
Zverev and Medvedev Ready to Rekindle Their Rivalry
Date: October 30, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Jannik Sinner Takes the Court in Paris on Thursday.
By Sam Jacot
Jannik Sinner has made history by reaching the quarter-finals of the Rolex Paris Masters for the very first time, defeating Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 in a compelling match that keeps his dreams of reclaiming the No. 1 spot in the PIF ATP Rankings alive.
Despite appearing a bit hesitant and occasionally stretching his right leg during the game, Sinner never called for a medical timeout throughout the 86-minute battle. The second seed showcased impressive form, hitting 12 winners against only two unforced errors in the first set before breaking Cerundolo’s serve in a grueling 10-minute game to kick off the second set. From that moment on, it was smooth sailing for Sinner.
“I had two break opportunities in the first set but couldn’t convert,” Sinner reflected. “I put myself in a tricky spot, but I’m thrilled with how I finished the match. I feel more confident now and hope to start strong tomorrow. Recovering physically is my top priority. Today was an excellent match and a solid showing from my side.”
With this victory, Sinner has become the first Italian to reach the quarter-finals in all nine ATP Masters 1000 events, adding to his accomplishments in Miami, Canada, Cincinnati, and Shanghai.
Currently leading the Head2Head 4-2 against Cerundolo, Sinner has showcased an incredible indoor winning streak, having won 23 matches in a row. This victory has kept his hopes alive of capitalizing on Carlos Alcaraz’s unexpected early exit in the race for World No. 1. If Sinner secures his first Masters 1000 title this season, he could reclaim the top spot next Monday.
Next up, Sinner will face off against Ben Shelton, who defeated Andrey Rublev 7-6(6), 6-3. Both players will represent at the Nitto ATP Finals next month.
While Shelton managed to best Sinner in Shanghai back in 2023, he has yet to win a set in their past six encounters. The American is eager to turn that statistic around this Friday.
In other tournament news, Daniil Medvedev is still vying for a spot in the Nitto ATP Finals, edging past Lorenzo Sonego with a tenacious 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 victory. The 29-year-old currently sits 13th in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin and will need to take the title in Paris to keep his hopes for Turin alive next month.
After a long 882 days without a trophy, Medvedev captured his first win earlier in October in Almaty and has also made it to the semi-finals in both Beijing and Shanghai recently. This marks his 25th Masters 1000 quarter-final, where he will take on Alexander Zverev.
Zverev, the defending champion, convincingly defeated 15th seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-2, 6-4. The German displayed remarkable focus, committing just one unforced error in a solid performance against the Spaniard, who had just lost in the Basel final on Sunday.
Zverev is pursuing his eighth Masters 1000 title this weekend. In the ongoing rivalry, Medvedev holds a 14-7 lead in their Head2Head series and has triumphed in their last five matchups. The last time Zverev overcame Medvedev was in Cincinnati back in 2023.
