Tennis News

Who will join Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev & Medvedev in Turin?

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev have qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals. This week’s Rolex Paris Masters will play a critical role in deciding who will join them.

Taylor Fritz is in pole position to return to the season finale, to be played from 10-17 November, for the second time. In 2022, the American reached the semi-finals in Turin.

The fifth-placed Fritz has 4,290 points and can guarantee his place at the year-end championships by making the quarter-finals at the season’s final ATP Masters 1000 event. There are also other scenarios in which he would qualify earlier in the tournament based on the performance of players below him in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

PIF ATP Live Race To Turin (entering Paris)

Sixth-placed Novak Djokovic is not competing in Paris. Since the Serbian is 380 points behind the American, Fritz is guaranteed to finish the regular season ahead of him in the Live Race.

Only 290 points separate seventh-placed Casper Ruud (3,845 points) and ninth-placed Alex de Minaur (3,555 points). Ruud (2) and Rublev (4) have made multiple Nitto ATP Finals appearances in the past, while De Minaur is trying to make his tournament debut.

“I’m looking over my shoulder because there are a lot of guys that can do really well here and even next week also counts,” Ruud said. “So there will still be a few more days or weeks of kind of nervous sleeping and thinking about it. But it’s okay.

“I’m in the position where if I do well it looks like I might be able to qualify, especially if I do well this week. So I’m just going to think about myself, not going to think about things I can’t control in terms of what other players do. But it’s getting tense. It’s becoming a really, really interesting Race and a close Race. A lot of things can still happen this week.”

Tenth-placed Grigor Dimitrov, the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals champion, 11th-placed Tommy Paul and 12th-placed Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 2019 season finale winner, need deep runs in Paris to keep alive their dreams of qualifying.

Three potential Rolex Paris Masters third-round matches are Fritz facing De Minaur, Ruud taking on Paul and Rublev playing Tsitsipas. Each would be critical in not only the tournament, but also the Live Race.

The Belgrade Open and the Moselle Open, two ATP 250 events the week after Paris, also count towards the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and qualification for the Nitto ATP Finals.

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Draper wins biggest title of career in Vienna

Jack Draper wins the biggest title of his career at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna as the British number one’s breakout season reaches even greater heights.

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Erler/Miedler rally to second Vienna crown, Murray/Peers soar to Basel title

Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler gave the fans in Vienna something to cheer about on Sunday when they clinched their second title at the Erste Bank Open.

The Austrians, who triumphed at the indoor hard-court ATP 500 in 2022, rallied to defeat Neal Skupski and Michael Venus 4-6, 6-3, 10-1. With the one-hour, 25-minute victory, the duo improved to eight consecutive wins after lifting the trophy in Antwerp last week.

“The crowd went crazy today. With 10,000 people, it was an unbelievable atmosphere and we’re really happy with how the match ended,” said Miedler. “Now it’s time to celebrate. We managed to serve well [in the Match Tie-break], connect on the returns. It’s amazing to play a 10-1 tie-break against them.”

Erler and Miedler led by a break in the opening set, but lost four consecutive games to fall behind in the championship match. Undeterred, they clawed their way back in a well-fought second set, during which they produced some scintillating tennis on return to shift the momentum in their favour in the Match Tie-break.

Buoyed by the home support at a sold-out Wiener Stadthalle, Erler and Miedler finished with a flourish to seal their eighth ATP Tour title as a team, winning 12 of the final 13 points.

With their run to the championship match in Vienna, Skupski and Venus are up to 13th in the PIF ATP Doubles Teams Rankings. Their impressive season is underpinned by back-to-back title runs on the British grass in Eastbourne and London.

Murray/Peers seal Basel crown
Qualifiers Jamie Murray and John Peers capped off a strong week by winning their first title together this year at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

The British-Australian duo produced a clinical performance in the championship match to upset top seeds Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic 6-3, 7-5.

Qualifiers ➡️ Champions 🏆@jamie_murray & @johnwpeers complete their dream week at the #SwissIndoorsBasel by defeating top seeds Koolhof/Mektic 6-3 7-5! pic.twitter.com/23KQZ5L9nV

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 27, 2024

“It was a crazy week for us,” said Murray, who saved three match points in their opening qualifying match. “We managed to battle through today, it was a really tough match. There were a lot of opportunities for both teams to break serve. Everyone was returning good and putting a lot of pressure on the server and we managed to hang tough at the end.

“It was a battle and we’re super excited to win and have a strong finish to what has been a tough year.”

Murray and Peers first teamed in 2013, amassing six ATP Tour titles together over the course of three years. After an eight-year spell with different partners, they rejoined forces in August this year.

“We’ve kept building and working hard ever since we got back together in America,” added Peers. “I think it’s a reward for all the hard work we’ve put in. We’ve been great with each other, combing well like we never left.”

With the defeat, Koolhof and Mektic remain in fifth place in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, 368 points ahead of eighth-placed Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten. They won the Nitto ATP Finals in 2020 and are still in strong contention to return to Turin in Koolhof’s final season as a professional.

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Mpetshi Perricard sinks Shelton, makes history in Basel

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard completed a perfect week of sizzling serving on Sunday to upset Ben Shelton and lift the trophy at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

The No. 50 in the PIF ATP Rankings prevailed 6-4, 7-6(4) against the sixth-seeded Shelton to become the lowest-ranked champion since Basel became a tour-level event in 1975. The 6’8” Frenchman hit 22 aces in the championship match to clinch his maiden ATP 500 crown without dropping serve all week.

“It’s amazing to win a tournament like that, a 500, for the first time for me,” said Mpetshi Perricard, who arrived in Basel having lost eight of his previous nine matches. “I just can be happy with myself, with what I did today and the past five days. It’s amazing to win here… [Before this] it was a tough month for me, but it’s always good when the victories are there.”

✨ The Age of Mpetshi Perricard ✨@MpetshiG‘s meteoric rise continues as he claims his maiden ATP 500 title, defeating Shelton 6-4 7-6(4) in Basel!#SwissIndoorsBasel pic.twitter.com/ojVsjRNvDG

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 27, 2024

Mpetshi Perricard’s championship-match clash with Shelton seemed destined to be serve-dominated from the outset. Both players stepped on court for their second Lexus ATP Head2Head encounter having not dropped serve en route to the final. That pattern was soon snapped, however, when the Frenchman took advantage of an uncharacteristically slow start from Shelton to break the lefty’s serve in the third game of the match.

Shelton was unable to create an opportunity to work his way back into the set, as Mpetshi Perricard’s relentless barrage of serving ensured that one break was all he needed to clinch the opener. Even so, Shelton produced some real moments of magic, most notably a stunning blocked forehand return winner against a 236 km/h delivery out wide.

Shelton was ultimately unable to carve out a single break point in the match, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and the pressure finally told again in the second-set tie-break. The American mishit a simple forehand volley wide at 4/4, the only mini break of the tie-break, and from there Mpetshi Perricard promptly fired two aces to seal an 87-minute win.

“On this surface, of course my serve is a good weapon for me, but I try to be aggressive from the baseline and put some pressure on the opponent,” reflected Mpetshi Perricard. “I’m very happy [because it was] a big part of my game this week.”

After lifting his second ATP Tour trophy, and his first ATP 500, Mpetshi Perricard ensured he will on Monday rise to a career-high World No. 31. The 21-year-old, who lifted an ATP 250 crown in Lyon earlier this year, has made the biggest jump into the Top 50 of the PIF ATP Rankings this year after beginning 2024 as the World No. 205.

“My goal was to win a 250 or a 500, but to win both is amazing,” said the Frenchman, when asked about his rapid rise. “Of course, I’m focused on what I can improve in my game, a lot of things in training. The work paid [off], and I’m really happy.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Sinner, Alcaraz chasing glory; Turin spots up for grabs: Paris Scouting Report

The Rolex Paris Masters, the season’s final ATP Masters 1000 event, is here. There are plenty of storylines to follow, from Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz chasing maiden glory at the tournament to the intense PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.

ATPTour.com looks at 10 things to watch at Bercy.

1) Who will qualify for Turin? Four singles places remain at the Nitto ATP Finals, with Sinner, Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev already guaranteed a spot at the season finale. Who will join them? Taylor Fritz, who made the semi-finals on his debut in 2022, will try to return to Inalpi Arena. The American is fifth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. Among those competing in Paris are seventh-placed Casper Ruud (3,845 points), Andrey Rublev (3,720) and Alex de Minaur (3,555), who are all jockeying for position.

2) Sinner top seed: The Italian has already clinched ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. The 23-year-old has won seven tour-level titles this year and will attempt to claim an eighth this week in Paris. He has tallied a 1-2 record in the tournament, including a loss to Alcaraz in his debut in 2021. Sinner will begin his event against Ben Shelton or a qualifier/lucky loser.

3) Alcaraz’s Paris push: Two years ago, Alcaraz earned his best Rolex Paris Masters result, reaching the quarter-finals. Will he advance deeper this edition? The Spaniard, who is the second seed, will play Nicolas Jarry or a qualifier/lucky loser in his opening match. Alcaraz has won four titles this year, most recently claiming the crown in Beijing.

4) Fils & Humbert flying for France: #NextGenATP star Arthur Fils and Ugo Humbert, who are good friends, recently played in an all-French Tokyo final, which Fils won. Will one of the home favourites make a big run on home soil at Bercy? Fils, who played his first ATP Tour main draw at this event two years ago, will take on former World No. 3 Marin Cilic in the first round. Humbert, who will try to use his big lefty serve to his advantage indoors, is the 15th seed and will play Brandon Nakashima.

Watch Tokyo Final Highlights:

5) Former champs Medvedev, Rune & Khachanov: Medvedev (2020), Holger Rune (2022) and Karen Khachanov (2018) are the former Rolex Paris Masters champions in the field. Fourth seed Medvedev will face a tricky opener against former Top 10 star Matteo Berrettini or Montreal champion Alexei Popyrin. Thirteenth seed Rune opens against Matteo Arnaldi and Khachanov, fresh off his run to the Vienna final, will play Pablo Carreno Busta. Khachanov leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 6-3.

6) French wild cards: The wild cards in the singles draw are Richard Gasquet, Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Adrian Mannarino and Arthur Rinderknech. Gasquet will compete at the Rolex Paris Masters for the final time ahead of his retirement at 2025 Roland Garros. The former No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings has competed in the event 16 times. Mpetshi Perricard’s rise has been one of the stories of 2024, with his huge serve stymying all styles of opponent.

7) Draper surging: One year ago, Jack Draper was No. 91 in the PIF ATP Rankings, forcing him to compete at an ATP Challenger Tour event instead of in Paris. Now he arrives at the season’s final Masters 1000 event as No. 15 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and fresh off an ATP 500 victory in Vienna. The lefty plays Jiri Lehecka in the first round.

8) Zverev seeks another title: Zverev has already won one Masters 1000 title this season in Rome. A six-time Masters 1000 titlist overall, the German will try to add a Paris trophy to his resume. The third seed made the final at Bercy in 2020. He faces Luciano Darderi or Tallon Griekspoor in his opening match.

9) Doubles spots for Turin up for grabs: Four doubles teams have qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals: Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos, Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic, Simone Bolelli/Andrea Vavassori and Max Purcell/Jordan Thompson. Who will join them in Turin? Two 2024 Grand Slam champions, Rohan Bopanna/Matthew Ebden and Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten are in good position. Wesley Koolhof/Nikola Mektic are fifth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings and Kevin Krawietz/Tim Puetz are seventh.

10) Granollers/Zeballos top seeds, singles stars playing doubles: Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos are the top seeds in the doubles draw and Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic are the second seeds. There will be plenty of singles stars to watch in doubles, too. Fritz is competing with Ben Shelton, Ruud is playing alongside Tomas Machac and Fils with Mpetshi Perricard among others.

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Draper shows class and fight to win biggest title yet

British number one Jack Draper wins the biggest title of his career at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.

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Draper withstands Khachanov in dramatic Vienna final

It was a sigh of relief for Jack Draper on Sunday after he withstood a late charge from Karen Khachanov to clinch the Erste Bank Open title. 

The Briton stood firm in a 6-4, 7-5 triumph to secure his second ATP Tour title. Trailing 0-4 in the second set, Khachanov rattled off five consecutive games to shift the momentum firmly in his favour. However, Draper dialled back in to win the biggest title of his career.

“I was playing so good, and then the momentum shifted,” said Draper, who improved to 37-21 on the season. “Honestly, I didn’t feel too nervous or tight, I just missed a few balls and made some wrong decisions, and Karen picked up his level. That’s a testament to how good he is, he’s a fighter and he’s in great form.

“It got really tight there, but I stayed solid and in a good mental frame. Luckily I was able to come through, it was a relief. To win my first ATP 500, it feels incredible. I am incredibly happy and so proud of myself and my team. It’s for moments like this, so I am going to enjoy it.”

Nothing short of sensational ⚡️

Magnificent @jackdraper0 dazzles his way to the title in Vienna! #ErsteBankOpen | @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/mZaDFj2Hyt

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 27, 2024

With his one-hour 35-minute triumph, Draper became the first player to win the tournament on his debut since countryman Andy Murray did so in 2014. In a stellar season, the 22-year-old will rise to a new career-high of No. 15 in the PIF ATP Rankings on Monday.

Prior to Sunday’s championship match, Khachanov held a perfect 4-0 record in indoor tour-level finals. The 28-year-old was also on an eight-match winning streak after lifting his seventh ATP Tour title last week in Almaty, but was unable to force a deciding set. 

“I want to congratulate Jack and his team for this win, you deserved that,” said Khachanov. “You went for it the whole week. You are rising up this season and I wish you all the success in the future. I’m looking forward to sharing the court again and taking revenge for this loss.

“Once you’re in the final, you’re thinking about winning it. But I can’t complain, the last two weeks have been great. Coming from winning last week and playing the final here in Vienna for the first time, I just want to thank my team.

“I was close to coming back, and that just shows you need to stay there, be positive and fight hard. [We have] a great example here of doing that in Thomas [Muster].”

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Your champion @jackdraper0 @ErsteBankOpen #TennisInsights | @atptour | @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/PvKyYAQLN7

— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) October 27, 2024

Having levelled the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 2-2, Draper became just the fourth British man to win an ATP 500 title. 

Draper was imperious on serve throughout the first set, during which he won 95 per cent (18/19) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats. In a pendulum-swinging second set, Khachanov ignited some of his most scintillating tennis, but it was Draper who held his nerve to cross the line.

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Berrettini splits with coach Francisco Roig

Matteo Berrettini announced on Saturday that he has split with coach Francisco Roig, a former member of Rafael Nadal’s team.

“I wanted to let you know that Francisco Roig and I have decided to end our professional relationship,” Berrettini wrote to his fans on his Instagram Story. “I can only thank him for all the work he’s done this year; his dedication, and the results we’ve achieved together.

“It was a professional experience that allowed me to grow immensely, both on and off the court. I wish him all the best for the future and send him my heartfelt good luck. Thank you.”

The pair began working together for the 2024 season after Berrettini split with longtime coach Vincenzo Santopadre one year ago.

The Italian has won three ATP Tour titles this season, triumphing in Marrakech, Gstaad and Kitzbuhel. He will compete this week at the Rolex Paris Masters.

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Mpetshi Perricard's sizzling ace match average leaves rivals in dust

Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard is the new ace king of the ATP Tour.

Leveraging his 6’8” frame, the 21-year-old Frenchman has used his serve to devastating effect in 2024, serving on average five aces more per match than any other player.

‘Gio’ has fired 87 aces across four matches this week en route to the Swiss Indoors Basel final, topping even his jaw-dropping season average of 17.8 aces a match, which is a significantly higher mark than any other player on tour according to Infosys ATP Match Stats.

Coming into Basel, Mpetshi Perricard had served 375 aces across 21 matches. That mark was five aces more per match than Hubert Hurkacz, who has the next best 2024 match average of 12.8. (The Pole has served more total aces than any player this season, with 730 untouched serves in 57 matches.)

His booming deliveries have proven to be a key to his rise. After starting the 2024 season outside the Top 200, the young star is up to a career-high No. 37 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, after reaching the final of the ATP 500 this week. Mpetshi Perricard also claimed his maiden tour-level title in Lyon in May.

Most Aces Per Match in 2024

Numbers do not include play at this week’s ATP 500s in Basel and Vienna

When including this week’s serving exploits in Basel, ‘Gio’ has fired 462 aces in 25 matches this year at an average of 18.5 aces per match.

For year-to-date averages ahead of this week’s ATP 500s in Basel and Vienna, Alexander Bublik is third on the list with an average of 11.2 aces in 46 matches this season. Mpetshi Perricard’s countryman Arthur Rinderknech is fourth, averaging 10.2 aces per match. German veteran Jan-Lennard Struff, who is closing in on 4000 career aces, holds an average of 9.9 aces per match in 42 contests this season.

Mpetshi Perricard served 17 aces in his 7-6(6), 6-4 upset of Holger Rune Saturday to advance to the Basel final, where he will play another one of the game’s biggest servers, Ben Shelton. The Frenchman won the lone Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting between the pair in June at Queen’s, when he out-aced the American 16 to 9.

Soon after at Wimbledon, Mpetshi Perricard fired 51 aces in a five-set win over Sebastian Korda.

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Auger-Aliassime withdraws from Paris due to back injury

Felix Auger-Aliassime announced on Saturday his withdrawal from the Rolex Paris Masters due to a back injury.

“I tried to give myself every last opportunity to be fit to play in Paris but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be this year ❤️‍🩹🇫🇷,” Auger-Aliassime wrote on Instagram. “After experiencing some pain in my back during Basel, I did some testing and attempts to practice before concluding that I wouldn’t be ready to compete in Paris at the level I’d hope for.

“That being said, it’s a bittersweet ending to the season and I’m going to do everything in my power to recoup mentally and physically for a strong start in 2025 💪🏽 We keep going 😌”

Auger-Aliassime was drawn to play Ben Shelton in the first round, with the winner to take on No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Jannik Sinner in the second round. The Canadian is No. 27 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

Auger-Aliassime closed his post with a message to his fans: “Thank you as always for all of your kind words and support 🙏🏽”

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