The field for the 2019 Next Gen ATP Finals is set. A trio of first-time qualifiers – Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic, Ugo Humbert of France and Sweden’s Mikael Ymer – qualified for the award-winning eight-man event. Additionally, 18-year-old Jannik Sinner of Italy completes the field as a wild card for the tournament, to be held 5-9 November at the Allianz Cloud in Milan.

The four players join Australian Alex de Minaur, Canadian Denis Shapovalov, American Frances Tiafoe and Norwegian Casper Ruud at the 21-and-under tournament, which features eight players from eight countries and three continents.

Greek qualifier Stefanos Tsitsipas will not compete because of his Nitto ATP Finals participation, at The O2 in London, from 10-17 November, and Canadian qualifier Felix Auger-Aliassime was forced to withdraw (left ankle) from the tournament, which will feature a series of rule changes and innovations for the third consecutive year.

Buy Your Tickets Today

De Minaur climbed 177 spots in the ATP Rankings during his breakout season that ended in the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals title match. The 20-year-old raised his level this year, going unbeaten in ATP Tour title matches at the Sydney International, his hometown tournament in January, the BB&T Atlanta Open in July and the Huajin Securities Zhuhai Championships in September.

Shapovalov will be making a return trip to Milan after participating in the inaugural event in 2017. The Canadian reached three semi-finals, including his third at the ATP Masters 1000 level in Miami (l. to Federer), and celebrated his maiden ATP Tour title at last week’s Intrum Stockholm Open (d. Krajinovic).

Tiafoe will look to reach the semi-finals in Milan for the first time after falling short on debut last year. The American made his first major quarter-final in January at the Australian Open and his first Masters 1000 quarter-final in March at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

Get To Know The Milan Qualifiers
De Minaur | Shapovalov | Tiafoe | Ruud | Kecmanovic | Humbert

Norway’s Casper Ruud will become the first player from the Nordic nation to compete in Milan. The 20-year-old, who is coached by his father and former World No. 39 Christian Ruud, reached his first ATP Tour final in April (l. to Garin) at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston and made the semi-finals at the Brasil Open in Sao Paulo (l. to Garin) in February and the Generali Open in Kitzbuhel in August.

Serbia’s #NextGenATP star Miomir Kecmanovic has climbed 77 spots in the ATP Rankings this year, from No. 131 to No. 54. The 20-year-old made his first ATP Tour final at the Turkish Airlines Open Antalya (l. to Sonego) in June and earned his first Top 10 win in August, at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati against 2018 Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev.

Ugo Humbert finished one spot away from qualifying in 2018, but the 21-year-old Frenchman will be competing in Milan next month. The left-hander made the fourth round of Wimbledon (l. to Djokovic) and three semi-finals, at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille, the Hall of Fame Open in Newport and the European Open in Antwerp.

Sweden’s Ymer won back-to-back ATP Challenger Tour titles during the past month to thrust himself into Milan contention. The 21-year-old, who reached the second round of Roland Garros (l. to Zverev), is at a career-high No. 74 in the ATP Rankings and has won four Challenger titles this season.

Watch: Spotlight Series: Jannik Sinner

Sinner is on the cusp of becoming the youngest player inside the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings, a status currently belonging to Auger-Aliassime. The 18-year-old Italian, who is 373 days younger than his Canadian counterpart, is No. 101 and surged forward 18 spots last week by beating World No. 13 Gael Monfils and making the European Open semi-finals (l. to Wawrinka). The teenager became the youngest ATP Tour semi-finalist in five years (Borna Coric, Basel 2014). Sinner was close to making Milan on his own merit as he is one spot away from qualifying in the ATP Race To Milan.

The third edition of the event in Milan will see the continuation of a number of innovations, including a best-of-five set format, shorter sets to 4 (tie-break at 3-All) and No-Ad scoring. Other innovations include Electronic Line Calling through Hawk-Eye Live, a 25-second Shot Clock, In-Match player coaching via head-sets, Video Review and more.

The tournament’s pioneering role in innovation was recognised at the 2018 Yahoo Sports Technology Awards in London, where ATP & ATP Media won the Most Innovative Governing Body or Rights Holder Award, as well as at the 2018 Leaders Sports Awards, where the tournament was recognised with the award for Best Innovation.

Last year, Mikael Ymer could only watch the Next Gen ATP Finals. But this year, he’ll join some of the world’s best 21-and-under players at the Next Gen ATP Finals, to be held 5-9 November at the Allianz Cloud in Milan.

The 21-year-old Swede is the final direct qualifier for the award-winning event. Here are five things to know about Ymer.

1. He is keenly aware of the sacrifices his family made
Ymer and his brother were born in Sweden to Ethiopian parents. And although they have the pleasure of travelling the world as professional tennis players, they are well aware of the sacrifices their parents made to give them the many opportunities they have had so far. Their parents left war-torn Ethiopia in the 1980s to start a new life in Sweden.

“When it gets tougher, I have that in the back of my head, that people have sacrificed a lot. My family has sacrificed more or less their lives for us to be able to do this. So I’m not only playing for me. Having that in the back of my mind always helps me,” Mikael said. “Sometimes I’m still going to fail, but it definitely helps me to make sure I do the work. It also motivates me.”

2. He loves running
Ymer’s father, Wondwosen, was a professional runner in the marathon and 10K distances. And the plan was for Ymer and his older brother, Elias Ymer, to become professional runners. “It definitely runs in the blood,” Mikael said.

Despite his budding tennis career, he was still running a lot up until two years ago. “Now I have to change a little bit, because of my body, how it’s reacting to it. But every chance I get, I try to run. I enjoy it. I think it’s very good, very good for the head and the body,” Mikael said.

3. Tennis is in the family
Elias, 23, is currently No. 130 in the ATP Rankings. Together, they won the 2016 Intrum Stockholm Open doubles title.

“It’s been unreal,” Mikael said at the time. “We clicked really well and played some great doubles. I’m really happy with this win and I’m excited for our future together in doubles.”

More About Ymer
Ymer Brothers Take Stockholm Doubles Title
Mikael’s Magical Month, Back-To-Back Challenger Titles
Ymer Cracks Top 100
Ymer Wins #NextGenATP Battle In Bastad

4. He enjoyed Grand Slam success in Paris
Ymer checked a couple of career-first boxes at Roland Garros this season. He qualified for his first major and won his first Grand Slam match (d. Rola) before falling to eventual quarter-finalist Alexander Zverev in the second round.

“I’m happy with how I fought. That was one of my main goals before, that I’m going to leave it all out there,” Ymer said of the Zverev match. “I wish I could replay the match, but there are still positive things to bring with me and that I look forward to working on.

“It’s a great first Grand Slam… Four wins here in Paris is not easy at all, of course I bring that with me. I got my first best-of-five match in a big arena, so next time I come out I can be a little more focussed on actually winning the match and not too much about the circumstances.”

5. He is playing the best tennis of his life right now
Ymer has won two ATP Challenger Tour titles in the past month to climb 31 spots in the ATP Rankings, from No. 105 to No. 74. Ymer won the ATP Challenger title in Orleans, beating former World No. 5 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals. The next week, the Swede took the title in Mouilleron le Captif, France.

“I think I played well from the beginning of the tournament,” Ymer said. “I had some tight matches because my opponents had a very good level in the first few stages. I had to get used to the surface, which is a little different here, with the [orange] colour. But once I took my bearings, I felt better and better.”

For the season, Ymer has won four Challenger crowns, best among the current #NextGenATP group.

2019 #NextGenATP Challenger Title Leaders

Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus have qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive year. They are the third duo to claim a spot at the 2019 season finale, to be held 10-17 November at The O2 in London, joining Colombians Juan Sebastian Cabal/Robert Farah and Lukasz Kubot/Marcelo Melo in the elite eight-team field.

Buy Your London Tickets

The South African and Kiwi tandem have won two ATP 500-level titles this season at the Noventi Open in Halle (d. Kubot/Melo) and at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. (d. Rojer/Tecau). The pair also reached the finals of the ASB Classic in Auckland (l. to McLachlan/Struff) and the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome (l. to Cabal/Farah).

Last year at the season finale, which has been held at The O2 since 2009, Klaasen and Venus went 1-2 in round-robin play. Klaasen previously qualified with Rajeev Ram on two occasions (2016-17), highlighted by a run to the 2017 final (l. to Kontinen/Peers). Venus teamed up with good friend Ryan Harrison on his debut in 2017.

Klaasen and Venus clinched their spot Thursday night when Marcus Daniell and Philipp Oswald edged Nitto ATP Finals hopefuls Henri Kontinen and John Peers 7-6(2), 7-6(5) in the Erste Bank Open quarter-finals. Kontinen and Peers, who won the season finale in 2016-17, are looking to return to The O2 for a fourth straight year and are currently eighth in the ATP Doubles Race To London.

Ram/Salisbury Continue London Push In Vienna; Top Seeds Upset in Basel
Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury are trying to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals in their debut season as a team. And the American-British duo continued on that trajectory on Thursday, as the fourth seeds beat qualifiers Luke Bambridge and Ben McLachlan 7-5, 6-4 at the Erste Bank Open. Ram and Salisbury, who are in seventh place in the ATP Doubles Race To London, will next face unseeded duo Daniell and Oswald.

In the other Vienna semi-final, top seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo, who defeated Rohan Bopanna and Denis Shapovalov 6-0, 6-4, will play third seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who ousted Andres Molteni and Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 6-2.

There was an upset at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where qualifiers Santiago Gonzalez and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi eliminated top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 1-6, 6-2, 18-16, saving five match points. They will battle Americans Taylor Fritz and Reilly Opelka, who advanced with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Frenchmen Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin. 

Fourth seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau, who are in sixth place in the Race, beat Brits Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski 7-6(7), 7-5.

Editor’s Note: Following this match, Stan Wawrinka announced that after hurting his lower back in the final game of his victory, he will be unable to compete in Friday’s quarter-finals. Roger Federer receives a walkover into the semi-finals.

Former World No. 3 Stan Wawrinka survived a spirited effort from Next Gen ATP Finals qualifier Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the Swiss Indoors Basel.

If there were any doubts as to how much this match meant to Wawrinka, the Swiss star’s massive roar after Tiafoe shanked a forehand volley to end the battle answered them. The 34-year-old needed two hours and 34 minutes to dispatch the American and advance to the last eight of his home ATP 500 event for the fifth time. 

Tiafoe, the 2018 Delray Beach champion showed his variety of skills in his first meeting against Wawrinka, utilising his speed and athleticism throughout, while also going after his forehand from the baseline when he was presented with opportunities. Tthe Swiss even complimented his younger adversary when at one point he launched a forehand winner that registered at more than 100 miles per hour.

But in the second and third sets it felt as if Wawrinka was moving closer to a decisive breakthrough. Tiafoe saved all five break points he faced in the second set, coming up with clutch serves and fearless play. But despite converting just 12 of his 14 break points in the match, Wawrinka seized the moment at 6-5. Tiafoe dangerously came in to Wawrinka’s backhand with a slice approach on match point, allowing the Swiss plenty of time to rip his trademark shot, giving the American no time to react.

Wawrinka’s best previous performances in Basel came in 2006 and 2011, when he advanced to the semi-finals. The seventh seed is also trying to keep his ATP Race To London hopes alive. Currently in 14th place, Wawrinka, who trails eighth-placed Matteo Berrettini by 660 points, is trying to make his fifth appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are set to reunite next week at the Rolex Paris Masters, where they will look to stop the run of in-form Russian Daniil Medvedev in the ninth and final ATP Masters 1000 title of the 2019 ATP season. The 23-year-old Medvedev has reached six straight finals, including three at Masters 1000-level. He finished up runner-up to Nadal in Montreal, before claiming back-to-back Masters 1000 titles in Cincinnati and Shanghai. 

Another Russian, Karen Khachanov, claimed his first Masters 1000 title last year in Paris by reeling off four straight Top 10 wins. He defeated John Isner, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem before upsetting Djokovic, a four-time Paris champion. Djokovic had earned his place in the final by prevailing against Federer in a semi-final thriller, named the Best Match of 2018 by ATPTour.com. “We had epic matches throughout our rivalry but this one definitely ranks as one of the best matches we played,” said the Serbian. 

Nadal, who recently wed longtime girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello, makes his return to main draw action for the first time since defeating Medvedev in the US Open final. He will be attempting to win a record-extending 36th Masters 1000 title and his first in Paris.

The ATP Race To London culminates at the Rolex Paris Masters, and Nitto ATP Finals defending champion Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini lead the charge to clinch the final two singles spots at The O2. Roberto Bautista Agut, David Goffin, Fabio Fognini and Gael Monfils will also look to press their claim with 1,000 ATP Race To London points up for grabs in Paris. 

Here’s all you need to know about the Paris tennis tournament: what is the schedule, where to watch, who has won and more. 

Established: 1986

Tournament Dates: 28 October – 3 November 2019

Tournament Director: Guy Forget

Draw Ceremony: Friday 25 October, at the Bridge Alexandre III (from 7:00pm, TBC)

Are You In? Subscribe To Get Tournament Updates In Your Inbox

Schedule (View On Official Website)
* Qualifying: Saturday at 10:00am, Sunday at 11:00am
* Main draw: Monday – Thursday at 11:00am and 7:30pm, Friday at 2:00pm and 7:30pm, Saturday at 11:45am
* Doubles final: Sunday, 3 November at 12:15pm
* Singles final: Sunday, 3 November not before 3:00pm

How To Watch
Watch Live On Tennis TV 
TV Schedule

Venue: AccorHotels Arena
Main Court Seating: 15,000

Prize Money: € 5,207,405 (Total Financial Commitment: € 5,791,280)  

Tickets On Sale: Buy Now

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

Honour Roll (Open Era)
Most Titles, Singles: Novak Djokovic (4)
Most Titles, Doubles: Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan (4)
Oldest Champion: David Ferrer, 30, in 2012
Youngest Champion: Boris Becker, 18, in 1986
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 50 Tomas Berdych in 2005
Most Match Wins: Novak Djokovic (32)

2018 Finals
Singles: Karen Khachanov (RUS) d [2] Novak Djokovic (SRB) 75 64   Read & Watch
Doubles: Marcel Granollers (ESP) / Rajeev Ram (USA) d Jean-Julie Rojer (NED) / Horia Tecau (ROU) 64 64  Read & Watch 

Social
Hashtag: #RolexParisMasters

Facebook: @rolexparismasters
Twitter: @RolexPMasters
Instagram: @rolexparismasters 

Download the official #RolexParisMasters‘ new mobile app ! >> https://t.co/klvh3gUltn pic.twitter.com/FRdnn6u2OR

— ROLEX PARIS MASTERS (@RolexPMasters) October 21, 2019

Did You Know…The ‘Tree of Fanti’ trophy, sculpted by Italian artist Lucio Fanti, bears the name of the winners on the trunk. The two branches show how the two sides of the draw played out. “When I was asked to create a work to commemorate the centenary of Roland Garros, the tournament organisers sent me the draws and results from down the years,” says Fanti. “When I turned one of the pieces of paper 90 degrees and by starting the players off at the top, you ended up with the winner alone at the bottom. Overall, it looked like a tree, so all I had to do was imagine it in 3D.”

Dominic Thiem beat Spain’s Fernando Verdasco for the first time in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series to reach his third Erste Bank Open quarter-final on Thursday.

The top-seeded Austrian benefitted from more home support in his comeback 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win against Verdasco, who had beaten Thiem all four times they had played, including earlier this year on clay in Rome. Thiem is through to his 11^th quarter-final of the season and 49^th since 2016, which is best on Tour.

Most Quarter-finals In Past Four Years

The World No. 5 was broken in his opening service game. But he won 97 per cent of his service points (36/37) in the second and third sets to win his 42^nd match of the season. The Nitto ATP Finals qualifier will next meet Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals.

Russian Andrey Rublev avenged his 2017 Next Gen ATP Finals title match defeat to South Korea’s Hyeon Chung 6-4, 6-2. Rublev saved the only break point he faced and will next meet Nitto ATP Finals hopeful Matteo Berrettini of Italy.

Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman also clinched a quarter-final spot, ousting American Sam Querrey 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(5) despite Querrey’s 23 aces. Schwartzman will face second seed Karen Khachanov. Aljaz Bedene beat Gilles Simon 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 and will face Gael Monfils, who gained revenge against #NextGenATP Italian Jannik Sinner with a 6-3, 7-6(8). 

Sinner beat Monfils last week en route to the European Open semi-finals, but Monfils hit 17 aces and won 83 per cent (40/48) of his first-serve points to advance. The Frenchman led 5/1 in the second-set tie-break but had to save a set point at 7/8 before clinching the quarter-final appearance.

Stefanos Tsitsipas avoided an upset bid on Thursday at the Swiss Indoors Basel, rallying past Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 tournament. It is the Greek’s 13th quarter-final of the season, equalling Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut for the ATP Tour-lead.

Berankis has not made an ATP Tour quarter-final since Dubai, but the World No. 70 had momentum on his side against Tsitsipas, leading 7-6(4), 1-0 and earning a 0/30 advantage on Tsitsipas’ serve. But the third seed maintained his composure, and dominated his service games the rest of the match to triumph after two hours and one minute.

After reaching the Citi Open semi-finals in August, Tsitsipas lost five of six matches and appeared to be struggling for form. But the reigning Next Gen ATP Finals champion, who has booked his spot at the Nitto ATP Finals 10-17 November for the first time, has bounced back well over the past month. The 21-year-old made the China Open final and the Rolex Shanghai Masters semi-finals, and that confidence showed in his victory against Berankis.

After some uncharacteristic errors from Tsitsipas allowed the Lithuanian to earn the first set, the Greek buckled down and raised his level. Although Berankis played inspired tennis and competed well with the World No. 7, Tsitsipas’ variety of weapons proved too much to overcome in the big moments. On his first match point, Tsitsipas fired a cross-court forehand that Berankis could not handle, celebrating with a fist pump.

Tsitsipas only faced one break point in the match, and he won 75 per cent of his second-serve points, preventing Berankis from going on the offensive unless he did so from tough positions. The Greek will next face ATP Race To London contender Fabio Fognini or Serbian Filip Krajinovic.

Berankis was trying to claim his third Top 10 win (2-10), with his two previous triumphs coming against Milos Raonic, including a first-round upset in Basel three years ago. If Berankis defeated Tsitsipas, it would have been the fourth straight year in which a qualifier had made the quarter-finals or better in Basel.

Ugo Humbert won’t be missing out on the Next Gen ATP Finals this year. The 20-year-old left-hander booked his ticket to the award-winning tournament on Thursday following the withdrawal of Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime (left ankle).

Here are five things to know about the talented Frenchman, who’s leading the country’s #NextGenATP hopefuls.

1. He has steadily climbed the ATP Rankings
Last October, Humbert had just cracked the Top 100 of the ATP Rankings. But this year, he’s made it his permanent home.

The 20-year-old hit a career-high ATP Ranking of No. 46 in July and, since 7 January, has never seen a triple-digit number next to his name.

“I work hard. I am very much focussed,” Humbert said. “I just try to carry on and deal with myself. It’s more important to focus on my own career rather than looking around.”

More Milan Qualifications
Ruud Will Make Maiden Milan Showing
Tiafoe Is Coming Back To Milan
Shapovalov Books Return Trip

2. He excels off the court as well
The Frenchman relaxes after a day of training by playing the piano 30 to 45 minutes every day. The habit helps take his mind off tennis.

He started playing piano when he was about five years old at the urging of his parents. Now he always travels with his keyboard, and the French Tennis Federation has a piano at his training facility in Paris.

“I try to play as often as I can,” Humbert said. “I really enjoy playing, and it is very relaxing. During those moments, I don’t think about anything else.”

Watch Hot Shot: Humbert Strikes Past Shapovalov In Lyon

3. He made history at SW19
Humbert had never played a professional match on grass before this season. But who said experience was a prerequisite to making the second week of Wimbledon? Humbert beat #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime to make the Round of 16, where he fell to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

“I’m very happy about this match. Felix is a great player and a good friend, so I was really happy to share the court with him. For sure, it will be the next generation and the future,” Humbert said.

He became the 43rd man in the Open Era to make the Wimbledon fourth round on debut. Only five other players have accomplished the feat in the past 10 years.

Men To Reach Wimbledon R16 On Debut In Past 10 Years

4. Grass and indoors are his favourite conditions
Humbert’s flat style excels in quick and low-bouncing conditions, such as on grass and at indoor events. The 6’2” left-hander is 6-4 at tour-level this year on grass, including his Hall of Fame Open semi-final run in Newport in July. Indoors, Humbert is 7-6 at tour-level, which includes two other semi-final runs, at the Open 13 Provence in Marseille and the European Open in Antwerp.

More About Humbert
Humbert Returns To Winning Ways In Lyon
Moving On Up: Challenger Stars Make Transition
Humbert Continues Run Of Form In Marseille

5. He narrowly missed out on Milan one year ago
A late surge by Hubert Hurkacz saw the Pole leapfrog Humbert in the final 2018 ATP Race To Milan standings and qualify for the 21-and-under event. But not this year: Humbert is ready to make his debut and become the first Frenchman to compete at the Next Gen ATP Finals.

Speaking earlier this year, Humbert shared how much the accomplishment means to him: “It is one of my goals this year to participate and be one of the best young players,” he said. “I will give everything in order to be there this year.”

Roberto Bautista Agut kept alive his hopes of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals on Thursday, but fellow London contender David Goffin fell in the Erste Bank Open second round.

Bautista Agut, who is attempting to join Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev as first-time qualifiers at the season finale, to be held at The O2 in London from 10-17 November, beat Richard Gasquet of France 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 over one hour and 44 minutes in Vienna.

In recording his 40th match win of the season, the Spaniard not only advanced to his 13th tour-level quarter-final, but also added 45 points to further strengthen his position of ninth in the ATP Race To London tally (2,530 points).

View Basel Singles Draw

Earlier in the day, Goffin, runner-up at the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals (l. to Dimitrov) and 11th in the Race (2,325 points), could not find a way to break the serve of American Reilly Opelka and paid the price.

Opelka hit 29 aces in a 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-5 victory over the 2014 Vienna finalist in two hours and 25 minutes for a quarter-final clash on Friday against Bautista Agut.

Bautista Agut is just 40 points away from eighth-placed Italian Matteo Berrettini (2,570 points), with two singles berths left up for grabs at the Nitto ATP Finals. Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Medvedev, Dominic Thiem and Tsitsipas have already booked their London tickets.