Mahut says Zverev should be pleased to draw Musetti rather than Hurkacz in Paris

Alexander Zverev’s first match as world No. 1 comes with a twist: the man he faces in Paris is not the one many expected him to dread. Nicolas Mahut, speaking as a consultant for Eurosport, believes the draw has been kind to the German.

Mahut: Zverev should be pleased

Lorenzo Musetti set up the second-round meeting by beating Hubert Hurkacz 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10) on Monday. Mahut, a former world No. 1 in doubles, told Eurosport, in comments reported by We Love Tennis, that Zverev should be relieved to see Musetti on the other side of the net rather than the Pole. Translated from French, his view was that you are never happy to face Musetti, but playing Hurkacz indoors on this surface would have been a real challenge.

The reasoning is straightforward. Hurkacz has won the last two meetings between the pair, while Musetti actually leads their head-to-head 3-2. Mahut’s argument is that the head-to-head does not tell the whole story: in his view, Hurkacz on this indoor surface would have been the tougher assignment. Musetti, he said, still has his chance, and it will be interesting to see how he returns, since he was in real difficulty against Hurkacz. Zverev, in his view, would offer something similar.

The counter-view: Musetti is no easy draw

Mahut’s own caveat is the important one. Musetti has the better record against Zverev, he has just come through two tie-breaks, and he arrives with momentum. A player who won two tie-breaks to get past Hurkacz will not lack nerve. The case that Zverev drew a gentler opponent rests on style, not on form or head-to-head.

The context around Zverev

Zverev became world No. 1 on Monday for the first time, at 29, the 30th player to top the ATP rankings since they began in 1973. He secured the top spot by reaching the Vienna quarter-finals and then lost the semi-final to Alex de Minaur 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (4). He has won Roland-Garros and the US Open this season, but he has also lost every match against Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in 2026, and reporters in Paris quickly turned to his goals for 2027.

Zverev’s own answer was upbeat. He said winning a Grand Slam and reaching No. 1 are “individually special, individually different”, and that he now feels “I can compete for all four Grand Slams” after learning to play on grass this year. He also said he is looking forward to “the top two guys being healthy again, playing fully and competing with them”.

That gives Mahut’s comment a wider meaning. If Zverev is to prove he deserves the ranking, he has to win the matches that a No. 1 is expected to win, starting with the ones where the draw has been kind. It also fits a week in which Zverev has been vocal about indoor conditions; Pundit Feed covered his verdict on Vienna’s slow balls and court only days ago.

For a player who admits Paris has brought “a lot of ups and downs” and “a lot of heartbreak”, a round-two test against a player who leads their head-to-head is a demanding first outing as world No. 1. Mahut thinks Zverev should be content. Musetti may disagree.