Paris Masters 2018: 5 contenders to look out for

#4 Alexander Zverev

Alexander Zverev

The youngest ranked player in the ATP Top-10 has already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in London next month and will be looking to win his 4th ATP Masters 1000 title. Since winning the Madrid Masters earlier this year, Zverev successfully defended his title at the Washington Open.

Zverev enjoyed good success at the Laver Cup and lost in the semi-finals to eventual champion Novak Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters. A defeat to Marius Copil in the Swiss Indoors saw him bow out in the semi-finals. Zverev will look to put his Swiss Indoors disappointment aside and look to capture his 4th title and 2nd ATP Masters title of the year. He has a fairly easy draw and will probably play against Francis Tiafoe in the 1st round.

---

#3 Roger Federer

Roger Federer

Returning to the Paris Indoors after a 2-year hiatus, Roger Federer will look to carry forward his momentum from winning a record 9th Swiss Indoors title. Federer's form has been patchy since his defeat to John Millman at the US Open, barring a good outing at the Laver Cup and the Swiss Open triumph.

Federer hasn't been handed an easy draw and will face off against either Milos Raonic or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the second round. A potential quarter-final against the man who beat him at Wimbledon -- Kevin Anderson looms. If he manages to get past that hurdle, he will have to most likely face Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals and then his old nemesis Rafael Nadal in the final.

The path to the title certainly looks daunting but the Swiss legend has aced many battles far more challenging and it will be foolish to write him off on the basis of mere performances in the recent past.