Alex de Minaur’s bid to win the Paris Masters is over, his hopes shattered in another physically gruelling battle with tough young Dane Holger Rune.

Just as his hopes up the road at Roland Garros in the French Open had been ended at the quarterfinal stage earlier in the year, de Minaur again bowed out in the last eight in the French capital 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 after an engrossing two-hour-and-25-minute slugfest with a player who shares his fighting qualities.

Ultimately, 21-year-old Rune saved his best for last in the dying stages of the absorbing contest to set up a semifinal with Alexander Zverev, the German who ended de Minaur’s quest at the French Open.

It was a disappointing end for de Minaur’s challenge but his silver lining could still yet be a coveted first-time place in the ATP Finals in Turin later in November.

The Australian number one departs the tournament provisionally still holding on to the eighth and final place for the ATP Finals in Turin, while still knowing he could yet be surpassed by his chasers in last part of the race over the next nine days.

Fellow Sydneysider Jordan Thompson also lost his match with Ugo Humbert, going down 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).

Earlier, Zverev, who is already guaranteed a place in Turin, advanced to the semis by beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 6-4, in the process killing off the Greek’s last faint hopes of making the finals.

AAP