Au revoir…
If the interpretation is to be believed… 38 is an “Angel Number” relating to guidance that is received. Additionally, the number implies confidence, courage, creativity, along with independence, joy and optimism.
Going further, 3838 indicates an ability to be self-sufficient and to respond appropriately to uncertainty. In short, it means follow your instincts.
The number 38 also marks the final time the Rolex Paris Masters will be played at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris’ 12th Arrondissement, Bercy – as the area and the Masters 1000 tournament (which it became in 1990) are known.
The 38th and last tournament at the facility will take place October 26–November 3 at the ambience defining setting.
Boris Becker of Germany won the inaugural singles in 1986, the first of his three titles, downing Sergio Casal of Spain 6-4, 6-3, 7-6.
Peter Fleming and John McEnroe of the US romped past Mansour Bahrami of Iran, who had made his home Paris, and Diego Pérez of Uruguay, 6-3, 6-2 for doubles honors. (Interestingly, six years later McEnroe teamed with his younger brother Patrick to down Patrick Galbraith of the US and Danie Visser of South Africa, 6-4, 6-2 in the 1992 doubles final.)
Bercy History…
Novak Djokovic of Serbia has “Owned” the tournament. With seven singles titles; nine final appearances; 59 matches played; 50 matches victories; and 17 consecutive matches won, he stands alone.
It should be noted that in 2008 all Masters Singles contests became the best two out of three sets instead of the best three out of five.
This year, nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments were scheduled and as always, the Rolex Paris Masters is the final competitive event of the ATP season.
Extracts…
Jack Sock beat Filip Krajinović 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 on Sunday to win the Paris Masters and qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals. He is the first American winner here since Andre Agassi in 1999 and the first American winner of a Masters tournament since Andy Roddick at Miami in 2010. Krajinović, 25, was the first qualifier in a Masters final since Jerzy Janowicz at the Paris Masters in 2021.
– Associated Press, November 5, 2017
Rafael Nadal, who has won the French Open a record 13 times, had been attempting to secure his first Paris Masters title but was defeated 6-4, 7-5 in the semifinals by Alexander Zverev.
– Associated Press, November 7, 2020
Rafael Nadal, 36, has a chance to finish as year-end No. 1 ahead of Carlos Alcaraz if he performs well in Paris and at the ATP Finals in Turin, but he said, “I’m not returning to the Masters…”
– Associated Press, November 1, 2022
Denmark’s Holger Rune stunned six-time champion Novak Djokovic in the final of the 2022 Paris Masters, defeating the Serbian 3-6, 6-3, 7-5. – Associated Press, November 6, 2022
Daniil Medvedev continues feuding with fans after being booed and receiving a delay of game penalty from Chair Umpire Renaud Lichenstein before losing to Grigor Dimitrov, 6-3, 6-7,7-6 in the Paris Masters second-round.
– Associated Press, November 1, 2023
Jannik Sinner has pulled out of the Paris Masters in a rare scheduling protest with the fatigued Italian criticizing organizers for lack of rest after the early morning finish of his second-round match.
– Associated Press, November 2, 2023
Djokovic was ill, hadn’t played in two months, was sparring with the crowd, and was behind in three matches. Yet he fought to win his seventh Paris Masters title defeating Grigor Dimitrov, 6-4, 6-3.
– Associated Press November 5, 2023
Home Showings…
Guy Forget was the first Frenchman to win the singles title defeating Pete Sampras, 7-6, 4-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 in 1991.
Ten years later countryman Sébastien Grosjean edged Yevgeny Kafelnikov 7-6, 6-1, 6-7, 6-4 in the 2001final.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was the last French singles winner defeating David Nalbandian of Argentina, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in 2008.
In doubles, a “Home Team” didn’t trophy until 2002 when Nicolas Escudé and Fabrice Santoro downed Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil and Cédric Pioline, 6-3, 7-6. (Pioline is now the Tournament Director and Escudé is the FFTs Technical Director.)
Arnaud Clément and Michaël Llodra duplicated the formula in 2006 scoring a 7-6, 6-2 victory over Santoro and Nenad Zimonjić of Serbia.
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut dominated Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, 6-4, 6-1 in the 2019 final.
Last year, Boulogne-Billancourt resident Édouard Roger-Vasselin teamed with Santiago González of Mexico, an inspiring 39 and 40-year-old senior duo, to slip past the ageless Rohan Bopanna of India (who was 43) and Matthew Ebden of Australia, 6-2, 5-7, 10-7.
AccorHotels Arena…
In 1981, the architectural firm Andrault-Parat, Jean Prouvé and Aydin Guvan designed the striking Accor Arena pyramid featuring blue metal, glass and grass panels with sloping support columns that were once used as “Show Your Tricks…” inclines by skateboarders (until a skateboard park was developed in an area nearby).
The arena is built atop the ruins of a wine merchants’ market… and over the years, it has enthralled and exasperated visitors as the following Tripadvisor reminiscences bring out.
Great Tennis venue
Went to watch the masters tennis here in October 2016.
We did it as a day trip on the Eurostar then a couple of stops on the metro.
The arena is next to the train station.
The whole journey is pretty straightforward.
The venue was very clean, the staff were very helpful and most spoke English.
They let you take in your own food and drink.
We were on the middle tier and paid €28 for our tickets and we got to see Murray, Djokovic and Cilic.
Will be returning again
Ninjapostman, UK
October 17, 2017
Paris Masters, great venue
Went from Sweden with my 8 years old son to watch the Rolex Paris Masters. Great venue, easy access with short walk from Gare de Lyon, very good seats and great tennis. Food selection very good and reasonably priced. Not too long queues.
Jorgen36, Sweden
November 2017
Paris Masters Tennis
Arena is superb. Organization was really excellent. Tennis was great. Food was overpriced and poor quality. Bars do not sell alcohol? Never been to a venue that only has non-alcoholic beer before.
Milton Keynes, UK
November 2017
More people needed on security
I came here for the Paris Masters tennis tournament. The number of people on security was inadequate given the number of spectators, and it took ages to get checked, so that I missed the first three games of the first match.
Since I had booked for both the afternoon and evening sessions, it was necessary to vacate the arena for an hour in between. Limited choice of food, though the pizza that I had was quite decent. Hardly anywhere to sit apart from on the entrance steps.
SusanA606, UK
November 2017
Tennis! Great matches, debatable organization
We were at the arena for the Paris Masters.
The tennis was great; the quality of the matches was super… one of the matches had us on the edges of our seats. Excellent.
There are a couple of negatives… the food as you might expect is overpriced and not very good… you expect better in France; the toilet facilities are typically French, dirty, undersized and not capable of dealing with the volume of people.
Finally the security is really badly organized. A little bit of thought and this venue could be so much better.
Grembo, France
November 2017
Rolex Paris Masters 1000
Very well-organized tournament, rather speedy entrance and exit, baggage check, security on point. Inside the arena, rather small options of food (and with above average prices).
Very clean and modern, good free Wi-Fi.
You can reach the stadium by metro line 14.
I hope I can return next year.
Stockholm 1, Sweden
November 2018
Great tennis but no beer
Good venue for the Rolex Masters tennis. Easy to book and well organized. Just don’t understand why they only serve nonalcoholic beer and no alcohol unless you are in a hospitality package.
Jane B., UK
November 2019
Paris Rolex Masters Tennis
Out of all the 1000 Masters events in Tennis, this is one of the worst ones. The venue is great and easy access from town, and easy to get in, but that’s where it stops. Unless you go later on in the event, when the matches are only happening on the center court, it is a pain. The main court has lots of seating, and you can enjoy it even from the top seats, and you can walk around, there are food facilities etc. However, if you are a true tennis fan, and want to enjoy the whole action, FORGET IT! The 2nd and 3rd courts are in the basement, and they are tiny. Now if you are lucky and get in, you do get to be very close to the action and the players, but the organization fails here. You have to queue up, as there is no reserved seating, this would be fine. But the bouncer only lets in 2-3 people every 15 minutes, and after 1.5 hours of queuing (missing valuable action time form the main court too….) you are greeted with a half empty audience!!!! It is appalling. The ushers should make sure the seating is full up, as it is so upsetting to have loads of people queueing outside clearly interested in the matches, and the players have to play with a half empty stadium…. I have been to queens club many times for the 500 event, and there even on the unreserved seating, the ushers very kindly help the crowd to maximize the seats. The ushers in Paris are more like bouncers, who don’t even know about tennis etiquette, as they don’t coordinate with the change of ends to let people in and out, it is just a shame. At a 1000 event there is so much more going on than just center court, but you have no chance to really enjoy it. The prices on the other hand are fair, it is one of the cheapest tournaments to attend.
Sophie, UK
November 2022
Bonjour…
At the end of January, Gilles Moretton, President of Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT), announced that the Rolex Paris Masters would have a new home.
In 2025, following ATP dictates that Masters 1000s improve/upgrade, the event will take place at Paris La Défense Arena in the suburb of Nanterre, a little over 14 miles from Bercy.
The move means that 23,000 spectators will be able to attend matches.
The additional 6,200 seating provided at the new location compared to the old venue’s 16,800 capacity seems insignificant particularly given the tournament’s pivotal history at the Accor Arena.
Paris La Défense Arena opened in 2017 and is the home of the Racing 92 rugby club. The Arena was used for the swimming and water polo events at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Being spacious – more to the point that up to five tennis courts can fill the expanse – was the 10 year deal maker.
As Moretton said in an interview, “This is a major strategic decision for the Rolex Paris Masters. It is one of the ATP’s most prestigious tournaments, and we are proud that over the years it has become a key event on the French and international tennis scene. We would like to applaud and thank the Accor Arena and its staff, with whom we have written some of the most memorable pages in tennis history at Bercy. It was vital for us to continue making this tournament a highlight for all tennis fans. By moving to the Paris La Défense Arena, we will fulfil our ambitions by offering our athletes and spectators an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.”
Andrea Gaudenzi, Chairman of the ATP and the architect of the OneVision men’s circuit change strategy, offered, “France is a key nation for professional tennis and the announcement further strengthens one of our biggest events on the ATP Tour.
“We are continually looking for opportunities for our tournaments to grow, and to provide better experiences for our players, and most importantly the fans. The move to Paris La Défense Arena is excellent news for the FFT and the Rolex Paris Masters, which will be able to continue to thrive on the international scene.”
In the end it means… Au revoir to the intimacy provided by the AccorHotels Arena and all the memories… Bonjour to the La Défense Arena and Bercy in a new setting.
Title photo of Paris La Défense Arena by Nicolas Borel
Update – 21 October 2024
Novak Djokovic announced that he would not play at this year’s Rolex Paris Masters. This year would have been his record-setting 18th championships appearance.