Alexander Zverev dampened the patriotic fervour at the Accor Arena on Sunday afternoon during a straight sets annihilation of the Frenchman Ugo Humbert to claim the Paris Masters title.
The third seed won 6-2, 6-2 in 74 minutes to lift a seventh crown at a Masters event considered the most prestigious on the men's circuit after the four Grand Slam tournaments in Melbourne Paris London and New York.
"First of all sorry," said Zverev drily after receiving the trophy from the French former Olympic swimming champion Florent Manadou.
"To win this title here in Paris means the world to me," he added.
"I know that 99.9 percent of the people here wanted another result but even still it's such fun to play here and at the French Open."
Humbert received raucous cheers from the 16,000 fans in the stadium as he strode onto centre court ahead of his first final at a Masters tournament.
Goal
In theory, he had nothing to fear after dispatching the world number two Carlos Alcaraz in the last-16.
But within 10 minutes, the facts offered a different narrative.
Serving for a 2-1 lead, Humbert's forehand went wayward. A cross court drive landed in the tramlines to offer Zverev a break point and another ended in the net after a 17-stroke rally to cough up the game to the German.
The 27-year-old, the runner up at the French Open in Paris in June, powered on to lead 3-1 after 17 minutes.
Humbert's next attempt to cut the deficit failed too. In a revealing vignette of his faltering abilities, after a forehand slumped into the net to give Zverev a break point, he saved it with a sumptuous backhand cross court winner.
Inconsistency
A double fault was followed by an ace
But eventually two errors off the forehand wing in the next two points sealed his fate and Zverev, playing with languid ferocity, rolled on to pocket the opener after 36 minutes.
Humbert returned from a toilet break to encounter the same savagery.
Zverev broke the 26-year-old in the opening game and held his own serve easily to take control of the match.
After Humbert lost his serve for a second time to give Zverev a 3-0 advantage, ELO's ultimate feel good tune Mr Blue Sky boomed out over the weapons-grade public address system.
Dark clouds hovered for Humbert after another lightning service game from Zverev.
Though Humbert eventually got on the board, Zverev cruised to the title.
"I'd like to congratulate Ugo," said Zverev who will rise to number two in the world in the ATP rankings after his week at the tournament.
"He really does the work off the court and if he continues that way, it won't be long before he is lifting trophies like this."
Humbert conceded that Zverev was too strong. "He served really well and gave me nothing. Sometimes with him you can get something off his second serve or his forehand but there was nothing going.
"I tried my best but he dominated."
