Defending champion Jannik Sinner and Flavio Cobolli have withdrawn from the Paris Masters, played from Monday 2 to Sunday 8 November 2026 at La Defense: Alexander Zverev, world No. 1 since Monday, is the top seed, ahead of Carlos Alcaraz. Ten Frenchmen were in the draw; Ugo Humbert and Luca Van Assche are through the first round, and Arthur Fils (No. 6) is playing for a place at the ATP Finals in Turin.

Why are Sinner and Cobolli not playing?

Sinner is still troubled by his right knee, which already kept him out of Shanghai in October.

Cobolli pulled out on Monday evening, after attending the ceremony for the tournament's 40th anniversary on Court Central. The Italian retired in tears against Matteo Berrettini in Vienna the week before, while insisting his tears came from emotion rather than pain. He is replaced by Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante, a lucky loser from qualifying, who inherits his first-round bye.

Who are the favourites?

Zverev leads the draw ahead of Alcaraz, Ben Shelton (No. 3) and Daniil Medvedev (No. 4). The top eight seeds have a first-round bye in a 56-player draw. Zverev and Alcaraz can only meet in the final.

Novak Djokovic (No. 10), a seven-time Paris champion, has no bye: he faces Valentin Vacherot on Tuesday evening, in Zverev's half. The German opens against Lorenzo Musetti, who beat Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(3), 7-6(10) on Monday.

Alcaraz awaits the winner between Alex Michelsen and Jiri Lehecka.

What is at stake for the ATP Finals?

Paris is the last Masters 1000 before the ATP Finals in Turin, from 15 to 22 November. Zverev, Alcaraz, Shelton and Medvedev have qualified; the last places are decided this week.

Arthur Fils, seventh in the Race with 3,535 points, overtakes Cobolli (sixth, 3,690 points) if he reaches the quarter-finals. Forced to retire from his Basel quarter-final against Taylor Fritz with a left leg problem, he confirmed on Sunday that he would play: "Everything is fine, I feel good, my body is fine." Given a first-round bye, he faces Czech qualifier Tomas Machac.

How did the French players fare in the first round?

Ugo Humbert beats the Netherlands' Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6(5), 6-7(9), 6-3 in 2hr 38min on Monday night on Court Central. In the second round he meets Slovak qualifier Alex Molcan.

Luca Van Assche, who got into the draw through withdrawals, beats Argentina's Mariano Navone 6-3, 7-5. Next is Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata.

Two wildcards went out on Monday:

  • Kyrian Jacquet, beaten by Machac 7-6(7), 6-1.
  • Titouan Droguet, beaten by Molcan 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Which Frenchmen play on Tuesday?

  • Arthur Rinderknech against Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo (No. 16), at 11am on Court Central.
  • Quentin Halys against Britain's Arthur Fery, at 11am on Court 1.
  • Moise Kouame, a wildcard, against Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 13), the Shanghai champion.
  • Benjamin Bonzi, a qualifier, against American Taylor Fritz (No. 11).
  • Arthur Gea, a wildcard, against Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff.

Sources

ATP Tour — Rolex Paris Masters 2026, tableau du simple

Tennis Majors — Cobolli withdraws from the Paris Masters, 13 days before the ATP Finals

Tennis Majors — '100 per cent': Fils confirms he will play the Rolex Paris Masters