Left-handed Humbert came through 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 to register his first win over the French Open and Wimbledon champion having lost twice to the Spanish star earlier in 2024.

It was a testing evening for Alcaraz who was 0-5 down in the first set before he managed to get on the board.

The 21-year-old has endured a rollercoaster second half of the season since his heartbreaking Paris Olympics final loss to Novak Djokovic.

He was knocked out in the second round of the US Open by 74th-ranked Botic van de Zandschulp, defeated top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the Beijing final before a quarterfinal exit at the hands of Tomas Machac, the world No 33, at the Shanghai Masters.

Humbert goes on to face Australia’s Jordan Thompson for a place in the Paris Masters semifinals.

The French No 1 just edged Alcaraz in winners on Thursday with 28 to 23 with both men committing 38 unforced errors.