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Rune maintains Basel form with clinical Goffin win

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2024

Holger Rune’s impressive form at the Swiss Indoors Basel showed no signs of slowing down on Friday.

The 21-year-old booked his spot in a third consecutive semi-final in Basel after defeating lucky loser David Goffin 6-2, 6-4. Rune was relentless throughout his 80-minute victory, during which he carved out 11 break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

Rune, who is yet to drop a set this week, is into his 20th tour-level semi-final. With his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head win over Goffin, Rune became the fourth man to reach more than seven ATP Tour semi-finals in 2024.

After improving to a 10-2 record in Basel, Rune is  up to 14th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 1,045 points adrift of eighth-placed Andrey Rublev.

[ATP APP]

Rune wasted little time in taking a stranglehold on the contest. He dismantled Goffin’s serve on two occasions to surge to a 4-0 lead before closing out the first set in 39 minutes.

Goffin ignited hopes of a comeback in the second set when he clawed back a break of serve to level the score at 4-4. However, Rune dialled in to reclaim the advantage and serve out the contest with ease.

Rune will next face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard or Denis Shapovalov for a spot in the championship match in Basel.

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Paris draw lays down gauntlet for Sinner, with Shelton & Rune looming

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2024

The Rolex Paris Masters draw did no favours for top seed Jannik Sinner, who could open his campaign against the surging Ben Shelton before meeting 2022 champ Holger Rune. The No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings would face Shelton if the Basel semi-finalist survives a brutal opener against Felix Auger-Aliassime, with the 13th-seeded Rune a potential opponent in the last 16.

Having clinched ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours earlier this month, Sinner will bid to add to his tour-leading seven titles and his three ATP Masters 1000 crowns in 2024. A potential sixth Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Shelton would be a rematch of their Shanghai showdown two weeks ago, which Sinner won en route to the title. Sinner has not competed on the ATP Tour since then, while Shelton upset Andrey Rublev Friday in Basel to reach the semis at the ATP 500.

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Rune, who opens against Matteo Arnaldi, could await Sinner beyond that. The Dane seeks to repeat his breakthrough run to the 2022 Paris title, when he saved match points against Stan Wawrinka in the opening round before knocking off five Top 10 opponents in succession. A fearless Rune won a three-set final that year against Novak Djokovic, who won his seventh Paris title in 2023 but withdrew from this year’s event.

Fifth seed Taylor Fritz is also in Sinner’s top quarter, while third seed Alexander Zverev and sixth seed Rublev headline the second quarter. Carlos Alcaraz anchors the bottom half of the draw as the second seed, joined by seventh seed Casper Ruud in his quarter, while fourth seed Daniil Medvedev and eighth seed Grigor Dimitrov are seeded to meet in the quarter-finals of their section.

With the PIF ATP Race To Turin nearing the finish line, the results from Paris will go a long way to deciding who claims the remaining four places at the Nitto ATP Finals. Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev and Medvedev have all secured their bids, with Fritz, Djokovic, Ruud and Rublev currently occupying the next four spots.

Alex de Minaur, who will face Mariano Navone as the ninth seed in Paris, leads the chasing pack. The Aussie, seeking his Nitto ATP Finals debut, could pass Rublev this week with the title in Vienna. Also within striking distance of eighth place are Dimitrov, Tommy Paul and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Dimitrov will face Zhang Zhizhen or Tomas Martin Etcheverry after his first-round bye, while Paul opens against French wild card Adrian Mannarino and Tsitsipas will start against a qualifier.

Rublev is clinging onto eighth place in the PIF ATP Race To Turin with 3,720 points, while De Minaur has 3,455 — though the Aussie could reach 3,855 with the Vienna title. Dimitrov (3,150 points) and Paul (3,135 points) must reach at least the final in Paris to pass Rublev’s current tally, with 650 PIF ATP Ranking points on offer for the runner-up. Tsitsipas (2,975 points) must claim the title — and the 1,000 points that come with it — to have a chance to break into the top eight.

The final opportunity for players to boost their Turin hopes comes the week after Paris with ATP 250s in Belgrade and Metz.

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Musetti downs Zverev with gripping Vienna comeback

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2024

Lorenzo Musetti battled back from the brink of defeat to book his spot in the semi-finals at the Erste Bank Open.

In an absorbing clash with top seed Alexander Zverev, the Italian dug deep to prevail 2-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 after two hours, 36 minutes. Musetti produced some of his most scintillating tennis to rally from 0/3 in the second-set tie-break, before pulling to a commanding lead in the decider.

“It didn’t start how we planned, I was struggling to find the right balance with my forehand and the variation of my backhand,” said Musetti, who moved to 2-1 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. “But I stayed there, even when he came back in the second, I saved a lot of break points at 5-5. It’s definitely a match that means a lot to me.

“It’s a pretty big win [in my career], because Sascha really loves to play here, on this court, in these conditions. But, after the first round, I was feeling in good shape and today I showed that.”

Musetti found himself behind on the scoreboard for much of the match, but once he surged in front in the deciding set, he never looked back. The 22-year-old struck 35 winners and saved eight out of 12 break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to earning the biggest hard-court win of his career.

Zverev, the No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and 2021 Vienna champion, rattled off three consecutive games from 1-4 in the second set to shift the momentum in his favour, but Musetti hung tight to reach his 17th tour-level semi-final.

[ATP APP]

Musetti will face seventh seed Jack Draper for a spot in the championship match in Vienna. The 22-year-old was forced to battle hard, but overcame Tomas Machac 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in two hours, six minutes. With both players struggling physically, Draper found an extra level in the deciding set to surge into an eighth tour-level semi-final.

“I thought the first set was really physical. It’s always tough playing Tomas, he’s so solid off the ground,” said Draper, who improved to 2-1 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. “I felt I had chances in the second set, but it was more of a mental battle [than a physical one].

“I felt like my energy dropped, my decision making became up and down. I knew I had to reset. At this level, you can’t get away with spending too long in that situation. So, I’m really proud of the way I competed.”

After a stellar season, during which he claimed his maiden ATP Tour title in Stuttgart and reached the semi-finals at the US Open, Draper is up to a new career-high of No. 17 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. 

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Shelton: Where there's smoke, there's firepower

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2024

Ben Shelton’s ‘towel swing’ is the latest addition to his arsenal of powerful weapons.

The left-handed American boasts one of the most lethal serves in the sport, and he put that overhead strength to good use Friday at the beginning of his Swiss Indoors Basel quarter-final with Andrey Rublev.

As a lingering haze from the smoke machine – used to add dramatic effect to player walk-ons – failed to clear from above the court, Shelton took matters into his own hands ahead of his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with the World No. 7.

“What do you think if we started waving the towels like this,” Shelton asked chair umpire Arnaud Gabas with a smile.

To the delight of fans, Shelton took his towel and began fanning the smoke in a double-handed overhead motion, drawing an ear-to-ear grin from Rublev and generous applause from fans, including Roger Federer’s parents Robert and Lynette, who were in attendance.

World feed commentator Robbie Koenig had fun with his play-by-play description of the moment.

“Consistency of the swing was nice. Keeping his head up and he moves the towel back and forward,” said the South African “Transfers the weight through the arms into the towel. Maximum face of the towel towards the smoke.”

[ATP APP]

The incident caused a seven-minute delay to the start of the match, which Shelton would go on to win 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4.

Shelton, who is No. 20 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, fired 13 aces in the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

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Fils wins 2024 ATP 500 Bonus Pool

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2024

Arthur Fils on Friday earned more than a quarter-final victory against Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Swiss Indoors Basel. The Frenchman also guaranteed that he will top the 2024 ATP 500 Bonus Pool.

The ATP 500 Bonus Pool this year distributes $1,340,000 to the five players with the most points earned at the ATP 500 category in 2024. By winning it, Fils will earn an additional $615,000.

Fils now has 1,400 points in the category for the season, leading second-placed Jannik Sinner, who has 1,330. Alex de Minaur, currently competing in Vienna, can pass Sinner. However, no player will be able to catch Fils.

[ATP APP]

The 20-year-old has won two ATP 500 titles this year, in Hamburg and Tokyo. In addition to his semi-final showing this week in Basel, Fils made the quarter-finals in Barcelona and Halle.

Casper Ruud currently holds the fifth spot for the Bonus Pool with 830 points. The players who still have an opportunity to finish in the Top 5 are Holger Rune (Basel), Alexander Zverev (Vienna), Andrey Rublev (Basel), Jack Draper (Vienna), Ben Shelton (Basel) and Lorenzo Musetti (Vienna).

The player who finishes second in the Bonus Pool will earn $310,000, third will claim $205,000, fourth will take home $130,000 and fifth will earn $80,000.

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Fils extends ATP 500s win streak, Shelton sinks Rublev in Basel

  • Posted: Oct 25, 2024

Arthur Fils was in no mood to let slip his red-hot run at ATP 500 events on Friday at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

The #NextGenATP star produced a steely performance to defeat third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-6(5), 6-3 and advance to the last four in Basel. Fils has now won 13 consecutive matches at this level, underpinned by title runs in Hamburg and Tokyo this year. With the triumph, the 20-year-old improved to 2-0 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series. 

“I think I served pretty well,” said Fils, who won 88 per cent (29/33) of points behind his first delivery and did not face a break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “I was very focused. I missed a crazy set point, but I am very happy with how I dealt with the tie-break and I think I played pretty good in the second set as well.

“I found a way to refocus [after missing the first two set points], and I think I did that pretty well, so I am happy.”

Fils, who improved to 8-1 vs. Top 20 players since July, is yet to drop a set this week in Vienna. The Frenchman applied pressure throughout the first set against Tsitsipas, but was unable to convert any of his four set points. However, Fils came alive in a high-quality tie-break before accelerating to an 83-minute victory.

The defeat was a dent to Tsitsipas’ hopes of qualifying for a sixth consecutive appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, having won the tournament on his debut in 2019. The 26-year-old remains 12th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 745 points adrift of eighth-placed Andrey Rublev, who takes on Ben Shelton in the second quarter-final in Basel.

Fils remains in pole position in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, 1,235 points ahead of second-placed Alex Michelsen.

[ATP APP]

Awaiting Fils in the semi-finals in Basel is his doubles partner for the week, Ben Shelton.

The American held his nerve to outlast top seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-4 and advance to his seventh tour-level semi-final.

 

Shelton was imperious on serve throughout the contest, during which he slammed 13 aces and saved all six of the break points he faced. The 22-year-old also converted each of the two break points he carved out, which proved to be decisive.

“I knew this was a big one for me, I struggled a lot this year in quarter-finals, and I’ve lost a lot of them against Top 10 players,” said Shelton. “It’s been a tough hump to overcome, but to get to the second to last week of the year and finally do it is huge for me. Especially with the way I was able to overcome everything Rublev threw at me today.

“He [Fils] is one of my best friends on the Tour, and I see him as one of my main rivals out of the young guys. He’s playing incredible tennis at the moment, and there is no one I would rather match up against on a Saturday here in Basel. I’m looking for some revenge.”

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