Alexander Zverev led 5-2 in the first-set tiebreak, then lost the final five points, as Lorenzo

Alexander Zverev led 5-2 in the first-set tiebreak, then lost the final five points, as Lorenzo Musetti upset the new world No. 1 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 in 1 hour 40 minutes in the second round of the Rolex Paris Masters on Wednesday, La Voix du Nord reported. The 29-year-old German, who this season won his first two Grand Slam titles at Roland-Garros and the US Open, was playing his first match at the top of the ATP rankings, and the 30th player to reach No. 1 since the ranking was introduced in 1973.

The defeat marks a rough debut on the center court in Paris, where Zverev looked timid and repeatedly strayed far behind his baseline, according to the report. Musetti, the Italian, will next face France’s Luca Van Assche, ranked 47th, in the round of 16 on Thursday.

Alexander Zverev vs Lorenzo Musetti | Résumé du deuxième tour | Rolex Paris Masters 2026

A Tiebreak Collapse Decided the First Set

The opening set went the distance, and Zverev briefly held the upper hand in the tiebreak when he moved ahead 5-2. But the Hamburg-born player then lost five consecutive points, letting Musetti close the set with a run of backhands down the line that drew cheers from the crowd, La Voix du Nord reported. Zverev had been two points from taking the first set before the tiebreak slipped away.

Zverev’s Game Fell Apart in the Second Set

The second set was a different match entirely. Zverev was broken twice and committed 10 unforced errors to Musetti’s two, a five-times difference, the report said. Musetti sealed the match with a love game, wrapping up the 6-2 set and the victory in dominant fashion. The contrast between the two sets was stark: a tiebreak decided by five straight points for Musetti, then a second set in which the world No. 1 could not find his rhythm.

Lorenzo Musetti surprend Alexander Zverev | Masters de Paris

Not the First World No. 1 to Lose His Debut Match at the Top

Zverev is not the only active player to lose his first match as the world’s top-ranked man. In September 2022, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz also fell in the opening round of his first tournament as No. 1, losing at the ATP 500 in Astana to Belgian lucky loser David Goffin, then ranked 66th, La Voix du Nord reported. The parallel underlines how little the No. 1 ranking guarantees in the early rounds of the Rolex Masters 1000 in Paris, where hesitation is quickly exposed.

Other Second-Round Results in Paris

Musetti’s win headlined a second round that delivered several notable results at the Rolex Paris Masters, an ATP Masters 1000 event:

Court-Level For New Number One Alexander Zverev vs Lorenzo Musetti 👀 | Paris 2026 Highlights

Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) beat Alexander Zverev (GER/No. 1) 7-6 (7-5), 6-2
Luca Van Assche (FRA) beat Learner Tien (USA/No. 15) 7-6 (7-4), 6-4
Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) beat Mattia Bellucci (ITA) 6-4, 6-1
Tommy Paul (USA/No. 12) beat Daniel Merida (ESP) 6-1, 6-1
Quentin Halys (FRA) beat Frances Tiafoe (USA/No. 7) 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (11-9)

Musetti Advances to Face Luca Van Assche on Thursday

Musetti’s reward for the upset is a round-of-16 meeting with Van Assche, the 47th-ranked Frenchman, on Thursday in Paris.

Questions Readers Are Asking About Zverev’s Loss in Paris

Did Alexander Zverev really play his first match as world No. 1 at the Paris Masters? Yes. La Voix du Nord reported that the German’s second-round match against Musetti at the Rolex Paris Masters was his first outing as the circuit’s No. 1, after winning his first two Grand Slam titles this season at Roland-Garros and the US Open.

Lorenzo Musetti vs Alexander Zverev Highlights | Paris 2026 Second Round

Has another current No. 1 lost a first match at the top? Yes. Carlos Alcaraz lost his opening match at the ATP 500 in Astana in September 2022 while ranked No. 1, beaten by lucky loser David Goffin, then ranked 66th.

What happens next for Lorenzo Musetti? He plays Luca Van Assche, ranked 47th, in the round of 16 on Thursday at the Paris Masters.