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Members of the Welsh Guards give unfiltered accounts of the war in Helmand Province in 2009
Members of the Welsh Guards give unfiltered accounts of the war in Helmand Province in 2009
Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev’s second-round exits at the Rolex Paris Masters on Tuesday could have major implications on the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin.
In a back-and-forth battle with Jordan Thompson, Ruud fell to a 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-4 defeat, while Francisco Cerundolo defeated sixth seed Rublev 7-6(6), 7-6(5) to record his 100th tour-level win.
[ATP APP]Ruud is currently seventh in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin with 3,855 points. Eighth-placed Rublev trails the Norwegian by 135 points to close out the qualification spots.
However, both players are unable to secure further points at this week’s indoor ATP Masters 1000. Meanwhile, fellow Turin hopefuls Alex de Minaur (ninth), Grigor Dimitrov (10th), and Stefanos Tsitsipas (12th) are all still alive and could climb further.
De Minaur would surpass Rublev if he were to make the quarter-finals. If De Minaur and Tsitsipas met in the semi-finals in Paris, and Tsitsipas went on to win the title, then both players would leapfrog Rublev and Ruud.
If De Minaur were to lift the trophy, he would jump to sixth, and even fifth if Taylor Fritz fell to an early defeat. Either Dimitrov or Tsitsipas triumphing in Paris would catapult them into sixth place in the Live Race, which concludes next week at the Belgrade Open and Moselle Open in Metz.
In the last match on Tuesday, Ruud forced a deciding set, but it was Thompson who stood firm to move 4-3 ahead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
“I think my ball is a little bit flatter, it doesn’t give him as much time to wind up on both groundstrokes,” said Thompson, who defeated Ruud in the Los Cabos final to claim his maiden ATP Tour title in February. “But he is playing good on hard courts too, I’ve just managed to get the better of him a couple of times.
“Today I found it a lot harder, he was hitting it a lot deeper and firmer, but thankfully I managed to pull through.”
Earlier, Cerundolo rallied from a break deficit in both sets to upset Rublev and record his 100th tour-level win. The Argentine was ruthless in attack, winning 86 per cent (7/8) of net points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Carlos Alcaraz kickstarted his campaign at the Rolex Paris Masters on Tuesday by serving up some revenge.
The second seed finished with a flourish to move past Nicolas Jarry 7-5, 6-1, improving to 13-2 in opening rounds in 2024. Alcaraz, who fell to the Chilean in the Buenos Aires semi-final in February, showcased his class on return to convert 80 per cent (4/5) of break points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
“I think I played really good tennis [in the first set], but at the end it was complicated,” said Alcaraz, who improved to 16-4 at ATP Masters 1000 events this season. “I’m just really happy to get through the opening set, it was really important for me to come into the second with more confidence. I [need] time to get used to the speed of the court.
“It’s been two years since I have won a match here in Paris-Bercy, so everytime that I keep going is a gift for me.”
He’s HIM. 🫡@carlosalcaraz gets his campaign off to a winning start in Paris, defeating Jarry 7-5 6-1!#RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters pic.twitter.com/rQUIBYfb4P
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 29, 2024
As he continues his quest to win five or more ATP Tour titles for a third consecutive season, Alcaraz will face home hope Ugo Humbert or qualifier Marcos Giron for a spot in the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz wasted little time in taking the lead, rattling off five consecutive points from 0/40 to break Jarry’s serve in the second game. The 21-year-old was pulled back when serving out the set at 5-4, but dialed back in to seal the opener.
Jarry applied pressure on return throughout the second set, during which he carved out four break opportunities, according to Infosys ATP Stats. However, Alcaraz showed resilience to stand firm and surge to a one-hour, 30-minute victory, improving to 3-1 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Winning in different ways🤖@carlosalcaraz serving way above his #ShotQuality average of 8.0 👏#TennisInsights | @atptour | @RolexPMasters pic.twitter.com/IutvuNwh4U
— Tennis Insights (@tennis_insights) October 29, 2024
British number one Jack Draper cruises through to the second round of the Paris Masters with a straight-set win over the Czech Republic’s Jiri Lehecka.
‘Part of the furniture’: How Medvedev booked his Turin return
Spaniard Martin Landaluce made his mark in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah nine days ago when he leaped to eighth after he won his second ATP Challenger Tour title of the season in Italy.
The 18-year-old is on 348 points and now occupies the final qualification spot with six weeks to go until the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. With the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah heating up and Landaluce not competing this week, the chasing pack will look to make their moves in the coming days at their respective Challenger Tour events.
PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah
| Player | Points |
| 1) Arthur Fils | 2330 |
| 2) Alex Michelsen | 1195 |
| 3) Jakub Mensik | 1136 |
| 4) Shang Juncheng | 1115 |
| 5) Luca Van Assche | 478 |
| 6) Learner Tien | 433 |
| 7) Joao Fonseca | 379 |
| 8) Martin Landaluce | 348 |
| 9) Coleman Wong | 328 |
| 10) Vilius Gaubas | 292 |
| 11) Henrique Rocha | 286 |
| 12) Nishesh Basavareddy | 280 |
Ninth-placed Coleman Wong (328 points), who became the first Hong Kong player since 1972 to win an ATP Tour match in September, earned a first-round victory at the ATP Challenger Tour event in Seoul on Tuesday and will eye a deep run to close the gap on Landaluce.
Lithuanian’s Vilius Gaubas (292 points) is 10th and is competing in Guayaquil. Gaubas, who has won a Challenger Tour crown in 2024, has not played since early October. Portugal’s Henrique Rocha (286 points) is 11th and also plays in Guayaquil, while 12th-placed American Nishesh Basavareddy (280) is in action on home soil in Charlottesville.
The 19-year-old Basavareddy is aiming to make his debut in Jeddah and has put himself in qualification contention after winning nine of his past 11 matches.
Above the dotted qualification line, fifth-placed Luca Van Assche (478 points) and sixth-placed Learner Tien (433 points) will aim to further cement their Jeddah hopes at Challenger Tour events in Bratislava and Charlottesville, respectively.
The Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF will be held from 18-22 December at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
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Francisco Cerundolo racked up a century of tour-level wins in style on Tuesday at the Rolex Paris Masters.
The Argentine held his nerve to upset sixth seed Andrey Rublev 7-6(6), 7-6(5) to reach the third round at the indoor ATP Masters 1000 for a second successive year. In a pendulum-swinging battle, Cerundolo rallied from a break deficit in both sets to prevail, improving to a 3-1 lead in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
Big stage for a BIG milestone 👏🏟️@FranCerundolo brings up a century of tour-level wins by knocking out No. 6 seed Rublev, 7-6(6) 7-6(5)!#RolexParisMasters | @RolexPMasters pic.twitter.com/VFvTk3wmIm
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 29, 2024
The defeat is a setback in Rublev’s quest to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for a fifth consecutive year. The 27-year-old is eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 165 points ahead of ninth-placed Alex de Minaur, who takes on Mariano Navone for a spot in round two in Paris.
The Live Race is heating up, but Rublev will be unable to amass further points at this week’s ATP Masters 1000 event. Meanwhile, fellow Turin hopefuls De Minaur (ninth), Grigor Dimitrov (10th) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (12th) are all still alive in Paris.
Cerundolo’s attacking prowess was on full display in his two-hour, 18-minute triumph. The 26-year-old struck 35 winners and won 86 per cent (6/7) of points at the net, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
With the triumph, Cerundolo registered his fourth win in seven matches against a Top 10 opponent in 2024. The No. 29 in the PIF ATP Rankings will next face Tsitsipas or Alejandro Tabilo for a place in the quarter-finals.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Taylor Fritz has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second time in the past three years. The American will compete at Inalpi Arena in Turin from 10-17 November.
The fifth player to earn his place at the season finale joins Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev in the field. He clinched his position one day after turning 27.
Fritz’s biggest moment of the year came at the US Open, where he advanced to his first major final. The home favourite became the first American male to make a Grand Slam singles final since Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009.
[ATP APP]This is also the third consecutive season in which Fritz has won multiple titles. He emerged victorious at Delray Beach and Eastbourne.
Fritz also made the final in Munich, battled to semi-finals in Madrid and Shanghai, and advanced to major quarter-finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
Two years ago, the American made his Nitto ATP Finals debut in Turin. Fritz went 2-1 in round-robin play, earning victories against Rafael Nadal and Felix Auger-Aliassime, before falling in the knockout semi-finals to Novak Djokovic.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]The inaugural edition of the Belgrade Open will be held at Beogradska Arena in Belgrade, Serbia. Alex de Minaur, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe headline the action.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the indoor hard-court event in Serbia:
When is the Belgrade Open?
The ATP 250 event will be held from 3-9 November, 2024. It will take place at Beogradska Arena in Belgrade, Serbia. The tournament director is Djordje Djokovic.
Who is playing at the Belgrade Open?
De Minaur, Paul, Tiafoe, Lozenzo Musetti and Marin Cilic are among the field in Metz.
When is the draw for the Belgrade Open?
The Belgrade Open draw will be made on Friday, 1 November after 4 p.m. local time (CET).
What is the schedule for the Belgrade Open?
Qualifying: Saturday, 2 November & Sunday, 3 November at 11 a.m.
Main Draw: Sunday 3, November at 3 p.m.
Monday, 3 November – Friday, 8 November at 11:00 a.m.
Doubles Final: Saturday, 9 November at 11:00 a.m.
Singles Final: Saturday, 9 November at 2:00 p.m.
View On Official Website
[ATP APP]What is the prize money and points for the Belgrade Open?
The prize money for the Belgrade Open is €750,000 and the Total Financial Commitment is €829,365.
SINGLES:
Winner: €114,055/ 250 points
Finalist: €66,555 / 165 points
Semi-finalist: €39,120/ 100 points
Quarter-finalist: €22,670/ 50 points
Round of 16: €13,165/ 25 points
Round of 28: €8,040/ 0 points
DOUBLES (€ per team):
Winner: €39,630 / 250 points
Finalist: €21,210 / 150 points
Semi-finalist: €12,430/ 90 points
Quarter-finalist: €6,940/ 45 points
Round of 16: €4,100/ 0 points
How can I watch the Belgrade Open?
Watch Live on TennisTV
TV Schedule
How can I follow the Belgrade Open?
YouTube: Serbia Open
Facebook: Serbia Open
Instagram: serbiaopen
View Who Is Playing, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
The 21st edition of the Moselle Open will be held at Les Arènes de Metz in Metz, France. Casper Ruud, Holger Rune, and Ugo Humbert headline the action.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of hard-court event in France:
When is the Moselle Open?
The ATP 250 event will be held from 3-9 November, 2024. It will take place at Les Arènes de Metz in Metz, France. The tournament director is Julien Boutter.
Who is playing at the Moselle Open?
Ruud, Rune, Humbert, Sebastian Korda, Matteo Berrettini and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard are among the field in Metz.
When is the draw for the Moselle Open?
The Moselle Open draw will be made on 1 November at 7 p.m. local time (CET).
What is the schedule for the Moselle Open?
Qualifying: Saturday, 2 November & Sunday, 3 November at 11 a.m.
Main Draw: Sunday, 3 November – Thursday, 7 November at 2 p.m.
Friday, 8 November at 1:30 p.m.
Doubles Final: Saturday, 9 November at 2 p.m.
Singles Final: Saturday, 9 November at 4:30 p.m.
View On Official Website
[ATP APP]What is the prize money and points for the Moselle Open?
The prize money for the Moselle Open is €579,320 and the Total Financial Commitment is €651,865.
SINGLES:
Winner: €88,125/ 250 points
Finalist: €51,400 / 165 points
Semi-finalist: €30,220/ 100 points
Quarter-finalist: €17,510/ 50 points
Round of 16: €10,165/ 25 points
Round of 28: €6,215/ 0 points
DOUBLES (€ per team):
Winner: €30,610 / 250 points
Finalist: €16,380 / 150 points
Semi-finalist: €9,600/ 90 points
Quarter-finalist: €5,370/ 45 points
Round of 16: €3,160/ 0 points
How can I watch the Moselle Open?
Watch Live on TennisTV
TV Schedule
How can I follow the Moselle Open?
Hashtag: #MoselleOpen
YouTube: Moselle Open
Facebook: Moselle Open
Instagram: moselleopen
Twitter: @MoselleOpen
Who won the last edition of the Moselle Open in 2023?
Metz native Humbert defeated Alexander Shevchenko in the final 6-3, 6-3 to win last year’s Moselle Open. The title helped him end 2023 as the French No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.
Who holds the Moselle Open record for most titles, oldest champion, youngest champion and more?
Most Titles, Singles: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (4)
Oldest Champion: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, 34, in 2019
Youngest Champion: Novak Djokovic, 19, in 2006
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 7 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2012
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 185 Jerome Haehnel in 2004
Most Match Wins: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (23)
View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown
[NEWSLETTER FORM]