The 2022 Rolex Paris Masters is in full swing, and players from all corners of the globe are in the French capital for the ninth and final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season. All eyes are on the supremely talented 19-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, thanks to the man from Murcia topping the rankings, but it is the man occupying seventh place that is most likely to capture the title in Paris.
Novak Djokovic is the reigning Paris masters champion, having won it in 2021, defeating Daniil Medvedev to secure his sixth Paris Masters title and 37th ATP Masters 1000 victory. Djokovic brushed aside Medvedev 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, avenging his defeat in the 2021 US Open final. The 35-year-old Serbian is the hot favorite in the latest tennis betting odds online despite his relatively lowly rank in the current standings. Djokovic goes into the Rolex Masters having won the ATP250 in Tel Aviv, and the ATP500 in Astana, Kazakhstan, both on a hard court as the Paris Masters uses.
It isn’t easy to make a case against a Djokovic victory because he is simply that good at tennis. To date, he has won 1,022 singles games as a professional and lost only 205, which is a phenomenal record. Now that Roger Federer has retired, Djokovic will be doing everything in his power to surpass the 103 titles the Swiss legend won; he is currently on 90.
Alcaraz Should Be There or Thereabouts
Carlos Alcaraz is 14 years Djokovic’s junior, but there is no doubt the young man has some serious talent. In 2022 alone, Alcaraz has a 55-12 record, including five titles and almost $7.5 million in prize money. His impressive victory in the US Open final against then world number seven Casper Ruud showcased his skills, especially his lightning-fast first serve, typically around 210 kph (130 mph). Alcaraz will hope to avoid Felix Auger Aliassime on his way to the Rolex Paris Masters final because the Canadian has proven to be something of a bogeyman for him. Aliassime has twice defeated Alcaraz when deep in major competitions in 2022 alone.
Daniil Medvedev has had a relatively quiet season, if only by his own high standards. The popular Russian has a 45-15 record going into the Rolex Paris Masters, including two titles. Medvedev won the ATP250 Los Cabos in August before triumphing at APT500 Vienna a couple of days ago. However, Medvedev has also been the losing finalist three times in 2022, so he is doing something correctly. It would not be surprising to see Medvedev reach yet another final in Paris, as is evident by his status as the second-favorite in the latest betting markets.
Never Right Off Rafael Nadal
With the focus of the tennis community slowly switching towards the new crop of talent, it is easy to forget that a legend of the game is still competing at the highest level. Rafael Nadal‘s long and illustrious career may be heading into its final stages, but he is still highly competitive and capable of winning the 2022 Rolex Paris Masters.
Nadal has 38 wins from 43 matches in 2022 and added four titles to his resume. Nadal came out on top of a thrilling five-set encounter at the Australian Open at the start of the year, proving he still has the ability to go the distance despite being 36 years old. His Round of 32 exit from ATP Masters 1000 Cincinnati was disappointing, as was his Round of 16 finish at the US Open in September, but Nadal still has what it takes to return home with the Paris Masters trophy in tow.
