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Koolhof/Mektic reach Paris final

  • Posted: Nov 02, 2024

Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic moved to within one win of capturing their third ATP Masters 1000 title of the season together on Saturday, when they defeated Neal Skupski and Michael Venus at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The sixth seeds did not face a break point and won 93 per cent (25/27) of their first-serve points according to Infosys ATP Stats en route to a 6-2, 6-4 triumph.

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Koolhof and Mektic have won four trophies in 2024 including Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells and Shanghai and will compete at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 10-17 November.

The Dutch-Croatian team will play Lloyd Glasspool and Adam Pavlasek in the final on Sunday.

Glasspool and Pavlasek secured a comprehensive 6-3, 6-4 win over fourth seeds Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson.

The pair won 72 per cent (28/39) of their first-serve points and saved all three break points they faced in their one-hour, eight-minute victory.

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Scouting Report: Ruud, De Minaur, Rublev chase Turin spots in Belgrade & Metz

  • Posted: Nov 02, 2024

The final week of the regular ATP Tour season is here, with ATP 250 events at the Belgrade Open and the Moselle Open.

Chasing precious points in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, Alex de Minaur leads the field in Belgrade, where Stan Wawrinka also competes. In Metz, Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud will aim to seal their spots at the Nitto ATP Finals.

ATPTour.com looks at five things to watch ahead of the two indoor hard events.

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FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN METZ
1) Ruud chasing Turin: Casper Ruud arrives in Metz seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The Norwegian, who is on 3,855 points, is aiming to make his third appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 10-17 November. The 25-year-old will try to break a three-match losing streak when he takes on Roberto Bautista Agut or a qualifier in his first match.

2) Rublev aiming to join Ruud in Italy: Andrey Rublev is the top seed in Metz and is two spots behind Ruud in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The 27-year-old is on 3,720 points, trailing Ruud by 135 points, with eighth-placed Alex de Minaur (3,745 points) in between. Rublev is chasing his third title of the year in the north east of France.   

3) Defending champ Humbert: Fresh off his deep run at the Rolex Paris Masters, Ugo Humbert bids for more success on home soil in Metz. The defending Metz champion also triumphed in Marseille this season, in addition to his Dubai title. While both of those trophies came early in the season, Humbert reached the Tokyo final in September, early in the indoor hard-court season. He will open his Metz campaign with an all-French matchup against Hugo Gaston. 

4) Rune’s late-season run: Holger Rune is writing a strong closing chapter to his 2024 season, with recent semi-final showings in Tokyo, Basel and Paris. The Metz fourth seed will face a quick turnaround after his Paris run, a transition made easier by the relative proximity of the two French cities, just a three-hour drive apart.

 

5) #NextGenATP Michelsen: Alex Michelsen’s season will wrap up at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah, but the 20-year-old American first has a chance to build some winning momentum as the eighth seed in Metz. Though he is 2-3 in his past three events, Michelsen beat 12th seed Hubert Hurkacz in Paris and pushed both Novak Djokovic (Shanghai) and Arthur Rinderknech (Paris) to two tie-breaks in defeat. 

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN BELGRADE

1) Can De Minaur seal Turin spot?: After reaching the quarter-finals in Paris, Alex de Minaur arrives in Belgrade in eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The Australian, on 3,745 points, is trying to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time. He will play Stan Wawrinka or Laslo Djere in his opening match.

 

2) Cerundolo seeks second title: With one title in each of 2022 (Bastad), 2023 (Eastbourne) and 2024 (Umag), Francisco Cerundolo could close his campaign by clinching his first multi-trophy season on the ATP Tour. The Argentine was beaten by Stefanos Tsitsipas in Basel and Paris, but notched a 7-6(6), 7-6(5) win against Rublev in the French capital.

3) Four Serbians dot the draw: The host nation will be represented by Miomir Kecmanovic, Dusan Lajovic and wild cards Hamad Medjedovic and Laslo Djere. Both Lajovic (vs. Nuno Borges) and Medjedovic (vs. Brandon Nakashima) will open against seeded players, while Djere meets wild card Wawrinka and Kecmanovic takes on Aussie Christopher O’Connell.

4) Cilic, Wawrinka, Fognini represent old guard: Marin Cilic (36), Fabio Fognini (37) and Wawrinka (39) will be among the fan favourites in Belgrade as the veterans seek strong finishes to their years. Cilic, who enters with a protected ranking, opens against Alexandre Muller, while Fogini faces Roman Safiullin in the first round.

5) China’s Shang seeks return to form before Jeddah: After winning his maiden tour-level title in Chengdu in September, 19-year-old Shang Juncheng has picked up just one more tour-level win during the indoor swing. With the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF looming, Shang will look to rediscover his top form, beginning with his opening match against Fabian Marozsan.

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Nitto ATP Finals 2024: Draws, Dates, History & All You Need To Know

  • Posted: Nov 02, 2024

The world’s best players are set to compete at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin next week with Jannik Sinner chasing his first crown at the prestigious season finale.

When is the Nitto ATP Finals?
The 2024 Nitto ATP Finals will be held from 10-17 November. The indoor hard-court event, established in 1970, will take place at the Inalpi Arena in Turin. The tournament director is Adam Hogg.

What is the format & who is playing at the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals?
The event in Turin will see eight players divided into two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals. Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz will compete. The final three places will be determined in coming days.

When is the draw for the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals?
The Turin draw will be made on Thursday 7 November at 12:00 p.m.

What is the schedule for the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals?
* Main Draw Round-Robin Matches: Sunday 10 November – Friday 15 November. Afternoon session starts at 11:30 a.m. (doubles), 2:00 p.m. (singles). Evening session 6:00 p.m (doubles), not before 8:30 p.m. (singles).
* Semi-finals: Saturday 16 November. Afternoon session starts at 12:00 p.m. (doubles), 2:30 p.m. (singles). Evening session not before 6:00 p.m. (doubles), not before 8:30 p.m. (singles).
* Final: Sunday 17 November. Doubles final at 3:00 p.m. and singles final at 6:00 p.m.

View On Official Website

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What is the prize money for the Nitto ATP Finals?
The prize money for the Nitto ATP Finals is $15,250,000
Singles Undefeated Champion: $4,881,100
Final Win: $ 2,237,200
Semi-Final Win: $1,123,400
Each Round-Robin Match Win: $396,500
Participation Fee: $331,000
Alternate: $155,000

Doubles (per team) Undefeated Champion: $959,300
Final Win: $356,800
Semi-Final Win: $178,500
Each Round-Robin Match Win: $96,600
Participation Fee: $134,200
Alternate: $51,700

How can I watch the Nitto ATP Finals?
Watch Live on TennisTV
TV Schedule

How can I follow the Nitto ATP Finals?
Hashtag: #NittoATPFinals
Instagram: @nittoatpfinals
Facebook: Nitto ATP Finals
YouTube: ATPTour
Twitter: ATPTour

Who won the last edition of the Nitto ATP Finals in 2023?
Novak Djokovic delivered a flawless performance and defeated Jannik Sinner 6-3, 6-3 to clinch a record-breaking seventh crown at the 2023 Nitto ATP finals. (Read & Watch)

Who holds the Nitto ATP Finals record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion, and more?
Most Titles, Singles: Novak Djokovic (7)
Oldest Champion: Novak Djokovic, 36, in 2023
Youngest Champion: John McEnroe, 19, in 1978
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1s Ilie Nastase (1973), Jimmy Connors (1977), Bjorn Borg (1979-80), John McEnroe (1984), Ivan Lendl (1985-87), Pete Sampras (1994, 1996-97), Lleyton Hewitt (2002), Roger Federer (2004, 2006-07), Novak Djokovic (2012, 2014-15) and Andy Murray (2016)
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 12 David Nalbandian in 2005
Last Home Champion: Andy Murray in London in 2016
Most Match Wins: Roger Federer (59)

View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown

 

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Khachanov's hot streak sinks Dimitrov's Turin hopes in Paris

  • Posted: Nov 01, 2024

Karen Khachanov snapped a four-match losing streak against Grigor Dimitrov to charge into the Rolex Paris Masters semi-finals Friday night as he eliminated the Bulgarian from Nitto ATP Finals contention with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win.

Dimitrov needed to beat Khachanov and then advance to the final to pass eighth-placed Alex De Minaur in the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin and move inside the cut for the season finale, which he won on debut in 2017.

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In a battle between this year’s leading indoor match wins leaders, Dimitrov lacked his usual spark after a draining third-set tie-break win over Arthur Rinderknech the night before. In contrast, an energized Khachanov continued his sizzling form, claiming his 12th win in his past 13 matches.

“I started sharp from the baseline and tried to put pressure from the beginning,” Khachanov said. “I was able to break him in the first game and take the lead and after that I noticed that he wasn’t feeling 100 per cent. But he wanted to play and I respect that. Credit to him for that.”

Asked to explain the hot streak that has taken him to the Almaty title, the Vienna final and now to his fifth ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, Khachanov said, “I try not to think about it, to be honest. When you are felling the rhythm, feeling the momentum you just want to continue enjoying the moment and continue playing the same way, with just a slight change of tactics for a different opponent. But playing with the same belief, enthusiasm and enjoyment.”

The 2018 Paris champion, who saved a match point in his opening match this week against Australian Christopher O’Connell, was 0-4 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Dimitrov, who won a third-set tie-break on an indoor hard court in Marseille in their lone meeting this year.

Dimitrov had a disappointing night on serve, putting just 48 per cent of first serves into play and winning only six of 26 second-serve points. In contrast, Khachanov needed to hit just 11 second serves for the match, winning seven. He did not face a break point. Khachanov made just 12 unforced errors to Dimitrov’s 28.

In the semi-finals Khachanov will play Ugo Humbert, who advanced to his first ATP Masters 1000 semi-final when he moved past Australian Jordan Thompson 6-2, 7-6(4).

French fans cheer on Ugo Humbert.

The French lefty upset World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in front of an electric crowd on Thursday night and backed up that win by defeating Thompson in one hour and 38 minutes.

In a dramatic second set, Humbert squandered two match points on Thompson’s serve at 5-4 before he lost his serve in the following game. The Frenchman quickly broke back to force a tie-break, sealing victory on his third match point.

Humbert has won his past 12 matches on French indoor hard courts, having lifted trophies in Metz last year and in Marseille in February. The 26-year-old is the first Frenchman to reach the last four in Paris since Julien Benneteau fell to Jack Sock in 2017.

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Koolhof/Mektic eye further Masters 1000 glory in Paris

  • Posted: Nov 01, 2024

Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic continued the quest for their fifth title of the season and third at ATP Masters 1000 level together on Friday at the Rolex Paris Masters where they defeated third seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden 7-6(13), 7-5.

The sixth seeds saved four set points in an epic opening set before they fended off all five break points they faced in the second set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to a one-hour, 47-minute quarter-final triumph.

[ATP APP]

Koolhof and Mektic have won Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells and Shanghai this year and will compete at the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 10-17 November. The Dutch-Croatian team will play Neal Skupski and Michael Venus in the semi-finals in Paris.

The British-New-Zealand pair defeated Ariel Behar and Robert Galloway 6-4, 6-2 in 63 minutes. Skupski and Venus reached the final in Vienna last week and beat top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in straight sets in Paris.

Lloyd Glasspool and Adam Pavlasek were also winners on Friday. They downed Frenchmen Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul 7-6(5), 6-4. Glasspool and Pavlasek will next take on Wimbledon champions Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten or US Open titlists Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson.

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Former champ Rune downs De Minaur to continue Paris run

  • Posted: Nov 01, 2024

Former Rolex Paris Masters champion Holger Rune kept alive his slim hopes of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals on Friday when he overcame Alex de Minaur in a dramatic quarter-final in the French capital.

In a baseline battle in Paris, Rune outlasted De Minaur down the home stretch to earn a dramatic 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 victory. The Dane locked in during the extended exchanges and recovered from squandering a break advantage in the third set to reach his fifth ATP Masters 1000 semi-final.

“He was putting so much up against me. He was making every ball with quality, deep in the court and the court is quite fast here,” Rune said. “I had to adjust my game a little bit and it was a constant battle but how I treated the last couple of games was very good. I went for it, I got it and I am very happy.”

The 21-year-old beat Novak Djokovic to win his maiden Masters 1000 crown in Paris in 2022 and is 12-1 at the indoor hard event. Rune is 13th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin on 3,025 points and can still qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. Eighth-placed De Minaur (3,745 points) currently occupies the final Nitto ATP Finals qualification spot and is aiming to make his debut in Turin.

Should Rune win his second Paris title in three years, he would move to within 120 points of De Minaur. The Australian De Minaur will chase further points at the ATP 250 event in Belgrade and Rune will head to the ATP 250 in Metz next week.

Following his two-hour, 28-minute win, Rune improved to 3-2 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with De Minaur. The 13th seed will face Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals in Paris on Saturday.

“Sascha and I had a great match in Paris, where he took it in five. I beat him one time, he took me last time,” Rune said. “He is one of the best players this year, so I will have to be very well prepared and physically recover and build on the level from this match.”

De Minaur, who was chasing his second Masters 1000 semi-final, struggled on serve during the clash. He made just 47 per cent of his first serves according to Infosys ATP Stats. Rune attacked at every opportunity and fired 24 winners en route to his second Top 10 win of the season (Grigor Dimitrov, Monte-Carlo).

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Zverev reaches Paris SFs, ends Tsitsipas' Turin hopes

  • Posted: Nov 01, 2024

Alexander Zverev became just the third active player to reach 20 ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals on Friday at the Rolex Paris Masters, where he overcame Stefanos Tsitsipas to end the Greek’s Nitto ATP Finals hopes.

In the latest meeting of his long-running rivalry with Tsitsipas, Zverev saved the one break point he faced and hit with aggression and purpose in the fast indoor conditions to earn a 7-5, 6-4 win after one hour and 44 minutes in the French capital.

“I thought the whole match was a very good level from him,” Zverev said. “He started off hot, had some good chances to break me in the beginning. Maybe not break point wise but game wise. I got into the match and I found my rhythm and felt more and more comfortable and am happy with the win.”

Zverev, who joins Novak Djokovic (78) and Rafael Nadal (76) as a 20-time Masters 1000 semi-finalist, also became the first player born in the 1990s to earn 100 Top 20 wins (100-101). The 28-year-old Daniil Medvedev, born in 1996, is second, holding a 99-73 record.

Zverev is chasing his seventh Masters 1000 title and second of the season, having won in Rome. After improving to 6-10 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Tsitsipas, the German will face Australian Alex de Minaur or Dane Holger Rune in the semi-finals.

“I felt like I could hit it quite hard today and against him, if you are just pushing it back, he is going to make you pay,” Zverev said on Tsitsipas. “He is someone on the forehand side who can be so aggressive and he can move forward. So I was happy to take that away.”

Tsitsipas is 11th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin but can no longer qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 10-17 November. Eighth-placed De Minaur (3,745 points) and 13th-placed Rune (2,825 points) are still in qualification contention.

Zverev will head to Turin next week and will chase his third title at the prestigious year-end event. The 27-year-old, who has already booked his spot in northern Italy, triumphed at the Nitto ATP Finals in 2018 and 2021.

Tsitsipas ends the season holding a 45-22, highlighted by his run to the title in Monte-Carlo. It is the first time the World No. 11 has finished the season outside the Top 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings since 2018.

Did You Know?
Zverev is just the eighth player in history to reach 20 ATP Masters 1000 semi-finals. He joins Djokovic (78), Nadal (76), Roger Federer (66), Andy Murray (33), Andre Agassi (32), Pete Sampras (31), Andy Roddick (20).

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