The Paris Masters this week is filled with many highlights.

The final stop of the 2025 ATP Masters Series, the Paris Masters, began last night. Held every year around this time, the Paris Masters tends to be somewhat awkward compared to the earlier eight Masters events. With the season drawing to a close, many top male players are either fatigued or injured, resulting in many withdrawing. Additionally, some top players who have already qualified for the ATP Year-End Finals choose to skip the Paris Masters strategically to rest and prepare fully. Only those top players not yet qualified for the Year-End Finals participate in the Paris Masters, competing for the last few spots.

However, unlike previous years, this year's Paris Masters looks very different. Except for the aging world No. 5, Serbian star Djokovic, all other top ten players are participating, making this edition star-studded and full of excitement.

First, can the world No. 1, Spain’s versatile warrior Alcaraz, secure the year-end No. 1 ranking in advance for 2025?

At this year's US Open final, Alcaraz defeated his lifelong rival, Italy's rising star Sinner, in four sets to claim his second US Open title after 2022 and retake the world No. 1 ranking from Sinner. Currently, Alcaraz leads Sinner by 740 ranking points. Considering that last year Alcaraz exited in the third round of the Paris Masters while Sinner did not participate, and that Sinner won five consecutive matches to claim the Year-End Finals title while Alcaraz failed to advance past the group stage, if Alcaraz reaches his first-ever Paris Masters final this week, he will secure the 2025 year-end No. 1 ranking early.

Second, can world No. 1 Alcaraz and world No. 2 Sinner maintain their dominant streak by meeting in the final for the sixth consecutive tournament where both compete?

In the 2025 season, these two chosen rivals have delivered five spectacular finals: from the Rome Masters final, to the French Open, Wimbledon, Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open final. Whenever both have competed, Alcaraz and Sinner have faced off in the final, turning both ATP Tour and Grand Slam events into a stage for their fierce rivalry. Will they meet again in the Paris Masters final for the sixth straight time?

Third, can world No. 3, Germany’s powerhouse Zverev, and world No. 4, American father Fritz, overcome tough opponents and showcase their talents?

2In the 2025 season, Zverev and Fritz have consistently ranked in the world’s top four, but the gap between them and the top two, Alcaraz and Sinner, is enormous.

Zverev has only won the ATP 500 Munich title and finished runner-up at the Australian Open, ATP 250 Stuttgart, and ATP 500 Vienna. Fritz’s results are even more disappointing, with just two ATP 250 titles at Stuttgart and Eastbourne and one ATP 500 Tokyo runner-up finish. These achievements fall short compared to the Czech 2005-born rising star Menšík and Monaco’s dark horse Vacherot, who surprisingly captured their first Masters titles in Miami and Shanghai respectively by defeating Djokovic, the all-time leader in men’s tennis wins. This week at the Paris Masters, can Zverev and Fritz break through the tight defenses of Alcaraz and Sinner and deliver respectable results?

Fourth, among those still competing for a spot at the 2025 Year-End Finals—Australia’s young gun De Minaur, American powerhouse Shelton, Italy’s talent Musetti, Norway’s star Ruud, Canada’s cool player Auger-Aliassime, and Russia’s Tsar Medvedev—who will ultimately qualify?

So far, the top five in the world rankings—Alcaraz, Sinner, Zverev, Fritz, and Djokovic—have secured their places in the 2025 Year-End Finals, with three spots remaining. All six of the above players are competing this week at the Paris Masters. Which three will claim the last available Year-End Finals berths?

Fifth, will the Paris Masters produce a dark horse who unexpectedly reaches the final or even wins the title?

Of the eight Masters tournaments completed so far in the 2025 season, world No. 1 Alcaraz has won three titles (Monte Carlo, Rome, Cincinnati); Norway’s Ruud finally triumphed in Madrid; well-known lefty Draper from the UK and American Shelton have each claimed titles at Indian Wells and the Canadian Rogers Cup respectively. However, the Czech 2005-born Menšík and Monaco qualifier Vacherot stunned the tennis world by defeating Djokovic—the all-time leader in men’s tennis victories—to claim their first major Masters titles in Miami and Shanghai. Will the final 2025 ATP Masters event in Paris see another surprise dark horse emerge, making an unexpected run to the final or even capturing the championship?

(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Seven-Color Bean Fan)