Jannik Sinner bemoans "very tough" Paris Masters 2024 draw as Ben Shelton poses "difficult" challenge in potential 2R clash

Jannik Sinner has given his thoughts on his tricky path to the 2024 Paris Masters title. The World No. 1 will face either Ben Shelton or Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round of the Masters 1000 event.

Sinner has enjoyed a career-best season so far this year, reigning supreme at the Australian Open and the US Open and winning 65 of his 71 matches. The Italian will be vying for his eighth title victory of 2024 in Paris-Bercy next week.

That said, Jannik Sinner has his work cut out for him, with several dangerous players looming large in his quarter of the draw. Having received a first-round Bye, the 23-year-old is projected to take on either World No. 23 Ben Shelton or Felix Auger-Aliassime. The American defeated his older rival twice last year and is currently in the final of the Swiss Indoors Basel.

Against that background, the World No. 1 was asked about his thoughts on his early prospective matches while speaking to the media ahead of his Paris Masters campaign. He maintained that a possible clash against Shelton would be "very difficult" due to the latter's big first serve.

"Yeah, very tough draw. Very, very difficult draw, especially here on these courts. You know, big servers are very tough," Jannik Sinner said during his pre-tournament press conference in Paris-Bercy. "But, you know, we go day by day. Then everything can happen.

"The draw can open up sometimes, or, you know, you never know what's coming. I try to prepare in the best possible way for the first-round match. It's going to be very difficult against Ben," he added.

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Jannik Sinner: "Hopefully I can raise the level from the last two years I came here"

Jannik Sinner looks on at Paris Masters 2023 (Image Source: Getty)

Provided Jannik Sinner manages to navigate his way through to the third round, he can face the resurgent Holger Rune for a place in the last eight of the Paris Masters. He is then projected to take on either fifth-seeded Taylor Fritz, who finished runner-up to him in New York, or ninth-seeded Alex de Minaur.

The top seed can also run into World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in the semifinals. And if the Italian fights past the German, his top rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev will likely await him in the title clash. As daunting as his projected draw sounds, he is still optimistic about his chances at the Masters-level event.

During his pre-tournament presser, he expressed hopes of improving on his career-best result in Paris-Bercy — a third-round run last year.

"You know, I'm looking forward to it," Jannik Sinner said. "I'm focused about myself, and hopefully I can raise the level from the last two years I came here, which I have struggled a little bit here on this court. So let's see."

Sinner has made three career appearances at the Paris Masters. He lost in the second round, the first round and the third round (withdrew due to fatigue) in 2021, 2022 and 2023 editions of the tournament, respectively.