Cabral’s Paris Doubles Surge Puts Portuguese Tennis in Top 20

Tennis – ATP Masters 1000 Paris

Francisco Cabral broke new ground for Portuguese tennis this week, storming into the semi-final stage of the doubles event at the Paris Masters alongside Austrian partner Lucas Miedler. The run, which unfolded in the Accor Arena from 27 October to 2 November, marks the first time the 28-year-old from Porto has advanced this far at Masters-1000 level and secures him a place inside the world’s top-20 doubles rankings.

A flawless march through the early rounds

• First round: Cabral/Miedler opened their campaign by dismissing Cabral’s long-time friend and occasional partner Nuno Borges, who was teaming up with Czech player Tomáš Macháč. A tight second-set tie-break decided the contest 6-3, 7-6 (10-8).

• Second round: The Iberian-Austrian duo then stunned fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, prevailing in straight sets to book a place in the last eight.

• Quarter-finals: Confidence surging, they edged past Australian veteran John Peers and American up-and-comer JJ Tracy, sealing victory 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Heart-stopper in the semis

In Saturday’s semi-final they faced Britons Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool—the same duo who had denied them the Vienna title a week earlier. Cabral and Miedler recovered from a set down, forcing a match tie-break, but eventually fell 6-4, 5-7, [10-7]. Despite the defeat, Cabral’s ranking surge (projected to No. 19) is the highest ever achieved by a Portuguese doubles specialist.

Slower courts, faster learning curve

Many competitors noted that Paris opted for a slower indoor surface this year. Top singles names such as Alexander Bublik labelled it “the slowest indoor court I’ve ever played,” while Carlos Alcaraz remarked it felt "slower than Monte Carlo." Tournament director Cédric Pioline confirmed the deliberate change. Cabral and Miedler appeared to embrace the conditions, relying on sharp net play rather than outright power—an adjustment that paid dividends until the final hurdle.

Portuguese milestones keep piling up

• First Masters-1000 semi-final for a Portuguese player in doubles.• Highest doubles ranking ever reached by a Portuguese athlete (projected No. 19).• Cabral adds Paris to a season that already included a runner-up finish in Vienna and quarter-final appearances in Monte Carlo and Madrid.

With the season-closing events on the horizon, Cabral’s breakthrough in Paris cements his status as Portugal’s standard-bearer in world doubles—and suggests his career milestone in the French capital may be only the beginning.