Is it right for WTA Finals to be held in Saudi Arabia?
Is it right for the WTA to hold their ‘crown jewels’ Finals in Saudi Arabia?
Is it right for the WTA to hold their ‘crown jewels’ Finals in Saudi Arabia?
The 5 Live Tennis team present reaction to the latest news from the WTA Finals in Riyadh.
It felt as if it was a full-circle moment for Richard Gasquet on Monday at the Moselle Open.
The 38-year-old, who made the first of his 33 ATP Tour finals in Metz, secured a thrilling opening-round comeback against Thiago Monteiro to stay alive in his final campaign at the tournament. Gasquet saved a match point to prevail 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(6) and record his first tour-level win since May.
“It’s important for me to play here, it’s the last time I’m playing in Metz, so I want to do well,” said Gasquet, who is retiring at the conclusion of Roland Garros 2025. “It’s a big honour for me [to receive a wild card].
“I am really happy with the way I played, the way I felt, so it’s a big win for me. Everything started here [in Metz]. It’s where I reached my first ATP Tour final. I have great memories playing here, so I am really happy with the way I played today.”
Resilience personified 👏@richardgasquet1 completes a miraculous comeback, saving a MP, moving past Monteiro in a three-set thriller 4-6 6-4 7-6(6)! @MoselleOpen | #MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/tMVDRarI7l
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 4, 2024
Gasquet, the former No. 7 in the PIF ATP Rankings, produced a clinical performance on serve throughout the match. The wild card, however, was particularly dialled in during the final set, during which he won 19 out of 20 points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
After improving to 16-10 in Metz, Gasquet will face #NextGenATP star Alex Michelsen in the second round.
Elsewhere, Cameron Norrie battled from the brink of defeat to record his first tour-level win since July. The 29-year-old trailed a break in the deciding set, but dug deep for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over Roberto Carballes Baena.
“I was happy with the way I turned it around, it’s nice to get a win after my injury,” said Norrie who picked up a forearm injury that kept him out of the Olympics and the North American hard-court swing.
“He fought really hard today, he’s a great competitor. I managed to get a little bit lucky in the third set, and I had some good support. It was nice to get over the line in the end.”
Norrie, who is just the second British singles player in Metz tournament history (Andy Murray, 2007 & 2021), will next face third seed Grigor Dimitrov.
[ATP APP]On a day of French success, lucky loser Pierre-Hugues Herbert stood firm to defeat sixth seed Pedro Martinez 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(4). The 33-year-old’s triumph in the pair’s maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head series was his first tour-level win since reaching the semi-finals in Metz as a wild card in 2023.
Aiming to emulate that success, Herbert will next battle countryman Quentin Halys in the second round.
Seventh seed Jan-Lennard Struff got his campaign underway with an inspired comeback triumph against Alexander Shevchenko. The German trailed by a set and 3-0, but dug deep for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win, setting up a second-round clash with Corentin Moutet.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Marin Cilic returned to winning ways on the ATP Tour on Monday with an opening-round triumph at the Belgrade Open.
The 36-year-old saved each of the two break points he faced in a clinical second set, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to a 7-6(2), 6-3 victory over Alexandre Muller. It was Cilic’s first tour-level win of 2024, outside of his run to the title in Hangzhou in September.
“I felt good, but when you haven’t played for a while it’s [important] to find that intensity,” said Cilic, the former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “I needed to find that balance today, and it took me a while to get used to the conditions and the balls.
“After 30 minutes, I started to feel great on the court, hitting, moving, serving. From there until the end of the match was fantastic, I felt really nice on the court.”
After powering past Muller, the World No. 68, and snapping his four-match losing streak, Cilic will face fourth seed Jiri Lehecka in the second round.
[ATP APP]Elsewhere, Dusan Lajovic recorded his first tour-level win since reaching the quarter-finals in Umag in July. The 34-year-old, who has been recovering from an injury sustained at the Davis Cup, surged to a 6-0, 7-6(3) win to upset ninth seed Mariano Navone.
“I didn’t expect this kind of first set,” said Lajovic. “I didn’t think I was going to play until the end of the season. I’m not 100% yet, but I’m good enough to compete. I’m getting my groove back so I am happy to win the match.”
In the second round of his home tournament, the Serbian will take on Fabian Marozsan, who came from behind to defeat #NextGenATP star Shang Juncheng on Sunday.
In a battle of two qualifiers, Denis Shapovalov rallied to move past Marton Fucsovics 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-1. After levelling the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 2-2, the former World No. 10 has set up a second-round clash against fifth seed Nuno Borges.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Elena Rybakina is on the cusp of becoming the first player to be eliminated from the WTA Finals after defeat by Zheng Qinwen.
With the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin reaching its final week, the battle to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals will be finalised in Belgrade and Metz. Sixth-placed Novak Djokovic (3,910 points), seventh-placed Casper Ruud (3,855), eighth-placed Alex de Minaur (3,745) and ninth-placed Andrey Rublev (3,720) are battling for two spots.
Following the Rolex Paris Masters and ahead of the final week of the regular season, ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin as of Monday, 4 November.
View PIF ATP Live Race To Turin
Casper Ruud – Seventh (3,855 points)
The Norwegian arrives in Metz with his Turin fate in his own hands. Ruud, who lost in his opening match in Paris, will qualify for the prestigious year-end event if he reaches the semi-finals at the ATP 250. Ruud is chasing his third appearance in Turin, having advanced to the final in 2022.
Alex de Minaur – Eighth (3,745 points)
The Aussie is in the final qualification spot after climbing one place following his run to the quarter-finals in Paris. De Minaur, who is hoping to make his debut in Turin, will qualify for the year-end event if he wins the title in Belgrade or matches Rublev’s result in Metz.
Andrey Rublev – Ninth (3,720 points)
Rublev is outside the qualification cut heading into the final week of the regular season. The 27-year-old, who has won two tour-level titles in 2024, trails De Minaur by 25 points. Rublev competes in Metz this week with Ruud.
Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz have already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held from 10-17 November.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Croatia and Argentina have qualified for the United Cup in 2025 and round out the top 18 countries set to compete across Perth and Sydney from 27 December to 5 January.
Croatia will be led by Paris Olympic Games singles silver medallist and Wimbledon semifinalist Donna Vekic and former world No.12 Borna Coric for the third consecutive year.
Seven-time Grand Slam doubles champion Ivan Dodig will also star as part of the Croatian side.
“It’s honestly my favourite tournament of the year,” Vekic said.
“We have great energy in the team. Borna has been my friend for more than 20 years. It feels like a little family. We are not a team, we are a family.
“To be pushing each other and supporting each other especially at the beginning of the year, it’s special.”
Team Croatia fall into Group A in Perth to set up some thrilling matches against top seeds Team USA and Canada during the group stage.
They play Team Canada in their opening tie from 10.00am Saturday 28 December at RAC Arena.
Twenty-eight-year-old Vekic will face Leylah Fernandez and Coco Gauff in her singles matches.
“It’s going to be two really tough matches to start the year. But that’s what we want, I think it’s great preparation for the Australian Open. I think I’ll have to train extra harder in the off season, which is great motivation as well.”
Argentina, led by world No.40 Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Nadia Podoroska, complete Group F.
This is Argentina’s second appearance at the United Cup. Podoroska – a Roland Garros semifinalist in 2020 – and Etcheverry return to represent their country after doing so at the inaugural event in 2023.
They face host country Australia on the opening night of play in Sydney from 5.30pm on Saturday 28 December at Ken Rosewall Arena followed by Great Britain two days later.
Hamad Medjedovic found a fitting way to register his first tour-level hard-court win of 2024 on Sunday at the Belgrade Open.
With countryman Novak Djokovic watching from the stands, the Serbian wild card edged past sixth seed Brandon Nakashima 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to advance to the second round. Medjedovic had his work cut out against the No. 35 in the PIF ATP Rankings, but he stood firm to record a two-hour triumph.
“It was a tough match, he was a better player in the first, and in the second I was trying to keep my nerves and find my game,” said Medjedovic, who improved to 8-6 over Top 50 opponents. “Slowly, step by step, I found my game and I was back on track.”
[ATP APP]In a battle of the two previous Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champions, Medjedovic shook off a sluggish start to dial in on serve in the second, during which he won 86 per cent (19/22) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Nakashima carved out two break opportunities in the third game of the decider, but Medjedovic held his nerve to seal victory. The World No. 158 will next face qualifier Branko Djuric or Aleksander Kovacevic in the second round.
On a day of comebacks in Belgrade, Fabian Marozsan rallied to defeat #NextGenATP star Shang Juncheng 2-6, 7-6(5), 7-5.
Marozsan was defiant in the face of a fast start from Shang, who raced to win the first set in just 23 minutes. The Hungarian bided his time before pouncing at 5/5 in the second-set tie-break.
Shang, who is fourth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, was unable to weather the momentum shift in the deciding set as Marozsan claimed his first indoor win of the season (1-4). The 25-year-old will face either Dusan Lajovic or ninth seed Mariano Navone in the second round.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]An action-packed October on the ATP Tour saw Jannik Sinner continue his standout season by clinching his third ATP Masters 1000 trophy of 2024 in Shanghai. On European indoor hard courts, Jack Draper and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard achieved their most significant titles to date by triumphing in Vienna and Basel, respectively, before Alexander Zverev notched his second Masters 1000 success of the season in Paris.
ATPTour.com reflects on the champions of October.
[ATP APP]Rolex Shanghai Masters, Shanghai – Jannik Sinner
After becoming the first Italian to win the US Open in September, Sinner carved more history in October. The 23-year-old downed Novak Djokovic 7-6(4), 6-3 in the Rolex Shanghai Masters final to become the youngest champion in tournament history. By denying Djokovic a 100th tour-level title, the World No. 1 Sinner clinched his Tour-leading seventh title of 2024 and levelled the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 4-4.
Sinner’s final triumph in China was his personal-best 65th win of the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss index. Throughout the tournament, Sinner demonstrated solid form and dropped his only set against Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round. Following his semi-final win against Tomas Machac, the 23-year-old clinched ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours, becoming the first Italian to achieve the feat.
Rolex Paris Masters, Paris – Alexander Zverev
Zverev joined Sinner in claiming a late-season Masters 1000 crown with a similarly dominant run at the Rolex Paris Masters. The German dropped one set all week at Paris-Bercy, where he raced past home favourite Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-2 in the championship match.
The 27-year-old Zverev’s title run in Paris took him clear of Sinner at the top of the match wins leaderboard for 2024 with 66 tour-level victories. It also ensured his return to No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings ahead of the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.
From Paris, with love 😘#RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters | @AlexZverev pic.twitter.com/rnk6WJRrbj
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 3, 2024
Erste Bank Open, Vienna – Jack Draper
After reaching his maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open in September, Jack Draper unlocked more success in October. The 22-year-old clinched his maiden ATP 500 crown and second tour-level title overall at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, a triumph that helped him ascend to a career-high No. 15 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
The Briton defeated snapped Karen Khachanov’s eight-match winning streak with a 6-4, 7-5 triumph in the final. Draper found some of his best tennis to complete a near-perfect week during which he dropped his only set against Tomas Machac in the quarter-finals. He also became the first player to win Vienna on his debut since countryman Andy Murray achieved the feat in 2014.
Swiss Indoors Basel, Basel – Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
It was a dream week for rising star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who clinched his second tour-level title and maiden ATP 500 crown at the Swiss Indoors Basel. The Frenchman ousted Ben Shelton 6-4, 7-6(4) in the final, denying the American a third tour-level title. The 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard remained unbroken all week and fired 109 aces in five matches, demonstrating why he is seen as one of the most exciting talents on Tour. After beginning the season at No. 205 and steadily climbing the rankings through the year, the Basel triumph lifted him to a career-high No. 31 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Mpetshi Perricard stunned two-time defending Basel champion Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round and fourth seed Holger Rune in the semi-finals. With the title, the 6’8” Frenchman became the lowest-ranked champion since the Swiss Indoors Basel became a tour-level event in 1975.
Almaty Open, Almaty – Karen Khachanov
Third seed Karen Khachanov edged Gabriel Diallo at the Almaty Open to clinch his seventh tour-level title. The 28-year-old registered a thrilling 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 win over the Canadian to end his title drought on indoor hard courts. It was Khachanov’s first trophy indoors since he defeated Djokovic to capture the 2018 Rolex Paris Masters.
BNP Paribas Nordic Open, Stockholm – Tommy Paul
Tommy Paul delivered a high-quality performance to outclass Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 and reclaim the trophy at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open in Stockholm. Paul, who also won in Stockholm in 2021, did not drop a set en route to his third title of the season. He became the fourth player to win at least three tour-level titles in 2024 alongside Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Matteo Berrettini.
European Open, Antwerp – Roberto Bautista Agut
Roberto Bautista Agut rediscovered some of his best form to edge fifth seed Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-1 in Antwerp and clinch his 12th tour-level title. It was the Spaniard’s first title since he triumphed in Kitzbühel in July 2022. Bautista Agut dropped his only set of the week in his quarter-final victory over Felix Auger Aliassime, against whom he rallied from a one-set deficit.
With his Antwerp title, the 36-year-old Bautista Agut became the second-oldest tour-level champion this season after Djokovic (37) clinched the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Alex Michelsen wasted little time in getting his debut campaign at the Moselle Open underway on Sunday.
The eighth seed at the indoor ATP 250 in Metz produced a clinical performance to breeze past French wild card Harold Mayot in 76 minutes. Michelsen saved all nine of the break points he faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to a 6-3, 6-1 triumph.
“I think my backhand was the determining factor,” Michelsen said, when asked about the key to his victory. “I feel like I was just painting the lines with my backhand today, and that doesn’t always happen, but when it does it feels pretty good. My forehand return felt unbelievable as well, so that’s always a plus.”
Michelsen, who is second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, is seeded at an ATP Tour event this week for the fourth time in his career, having reached two finals as a seeded player in 2024 (Newport, Winston-Salem).
[ATP APP]Metz-native Mayot applied pressure in the early stages but was unable to convert any of the eight break points he carved out in the third game. From there, Michelsen dialled in to race across the line and improve to 29-28 at tour-level in 2024.
The 20-year-old #NextGenATP star will next face either Richard Gasquet or Thiago Monteiro for a spot in the third round.
Earlier, home hope Corentin Moutet snapped his six-match winning streak after Sumit Nagal was forced to retire with the Frenchman leading 7-5, 4-0. Moutet held his nerve in a tight first set, then his trademark trickery and touch came to the fore in a dominant display in the early stages of the second.
After securing his first indoor win since 2022, Moutet will face Alexander Shevchenko or seventh seed Jan-Lennard Struff in the second round.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]