Medvedev, Rublev, Auger-Aliassime lead the race for last three berths at ATP Finals in Turin
It’s going down to the wire for the last 3 spots at the ATP Finals and all will be decided in the next two weeks
Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, 2021 | © AI / Reuters / Panoramic
The season-ending ATP Finals are just three weeks away and the race to round out the field is likely to come down to the wire at next week’s Rolex Paris Masters.
However, there is plenty at stake this week as well at the two ATP 500 events – the Swiss Indoors in Basel and the Erste Bank Open in Vienna – with most of the world’s top 20 players competing in either of the two events.
So far, five players – Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal (who has confirmed he will play in Paris and Turin), Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic (currently in 10th position in the Race to Turin but qualified as a Grand Slam champion in 2022) have secured their berths in Turin.
Let’s take a look at the leading contenders for the final three spots.
Daniil Medvedev – Australian Open finalist and Los Cabos champion
- Current Position – 5th
- Points as of October 27th*- 3,600 (* prior to start of play on Thursday)
- Maximum points possible as of October 31st – 4,055
Russia’s Daniil Medvedev, who has played some of his best tennis in the second half of the season in the last two years, is currently in fifth place in the Race with 3,555 points and is next in line to qualify. The Russian is playing his first event since pulling out of the Astana Open semi-finals against Djokovic and since becoming a father in Vienna this week so it would be interesting how he plays this week and in Paris next week.
But the 2020 champion is looking in good shape to qualify for the season-ending finale for the fourth year on the trot. He began his Vienna campaign on Wednesday with a straight sets win over Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili and next meets former US Open champion Dominic Thiem.
Andrey Rublev – Four-time ATP winner in 2022
- Current Position – 6th
- Points as of October 27th* – 3,440 (* prior to start of play on Thursday)
- Maximum points possible as of October 31st – 3,850
Medvedev’s countryman, Andrey Rublev, currently sits in sixth place in the Race to Turin. The 25-year-old has won four ATP titles this year – including the ATP 500 Dubai Open and three other ATP 250 titles.
But Rublev has not performed as well as he would have hoped at the bigger events, going 8-7 in the Masters Series events in 2022 – highlighted by a semi-final finish at Indian Wells – and 10-3 at the Slams – reaching the quarters at Roland-Garros and the US Open but failing to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final.
Rublev has begun his quest for a third straight ATP Finals appearance on a positive note this week, beating Diego Schwartzman in straight sets to reach the second round in Vienna and next plays Grigor Dimitrov on Thursday.
Felix Auger-Aliassime – Three-time ATP champion 2022
- Current Position – 7th
- Points as of October 27th* – 3,225 (*prior to start of play on Thursday)
- Maximum points possible as of October 31st – 3,635
Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime has put himself back in contention for one of the final spots in Turin after picking up back-to-back titles in Florence and Antwerp.
Now working with Toni Nadal, Auger-Aliassime also reached the last eight of the Australian Open and the semi-finals at the last four Masters Series events. The 22-year-old is playing in Basel this week and extended his winning streak to nine matches with a win over local player Marc-Andrea Huesler and next meets Miomir Kecmanovic.
Taylor Fritz – Indian Wells and 2 more ATP titles for top-ranked American
- Current Position – 8th
- Points as of October 27th* – 2,910 (*prior to start of play on Thursday)
- Maximum points possible as of October 31st – 3,365
Taylor Fritz is enjoying the best season of his career and has become the top-ranked American on the men’s tour thanks to the Masters Series title at Indian Wells, the ATP 500 in Tokyo and the ATP 250 in Eastbourne.
The American is aiming to qualify for the ATP Finals for the first time in his career but his hopes suffered a setback after he was beaten in the second round in Vienna by Denis Shapovalov on Wednesday. Fritz will now need a big result in Paris next week and hope for those ahead of him to lose early to have any chance of making it to Turin this year.
Hubert Hurkacz – Halle champion and Canadian Masters runner-up
- Current Position – 9th
- Points as of October 27th* – 2,815 (*prior to start of play on Thursday)
- Maximum points possible as of October 31st – 3,270
Currently in ninth place in the Race, Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz is aiming to make the ATP Finals for the second year in a row. If he does make it, it will be in part to his title in Halle and reaching the final at the Canadian Masters.
The Pole continued to struggle at the Slams though where his best performance was a round of 16 finish at the French Open. This was only the second time in 18 appearances at a Major that he was able to make the second week at a Slam.
Hurkacz scored a good win over American Fraces Tiafoe int he first round of Vienna this week and next meets Finland’s Emil Ruusouvuori for a place in the quarters.
Pablo Carreno Busta – Canadian Masters champion and Barcelona runner-up
- Current Position – 12th
- Points as of October 27th* – 2,405 (* prior to start of play on Thursday)
- Maximum points possible as of October 31st – 2,815
With Djokovic in 10th position already through and 11th placed Alexander Zverev shutting out for the season, Spain’s Pablo Carreno-Busta, at No. 12, also has a shot to make it to Turin. The Spaniard has played at the ATP Finals once before when he came in as an alternate and played two matches in 2017.
The Spaniard won the Canadian Masters – his first ATP 1000 Series at the age of 31- and also reached the final in Barcelona to put him in contention for Turin. Carreno Busta is already through to the quarter-finals in Bael where he will play his more illustrious countryman Alcaraz.
Cameron Norrie – two-time ATP titlist and Wimbledon semi-finalist
- Current Position – 13th
- Points as of October 24th – 2,400 (*prior to start of play on Thursday)
- Maximum points possible as of October 31st – 2,855
One of the most consistent and successful players over the last two seasons, 13th-placed Norrie picked up titles in Lyon and Delray Beach this year and reached the final in Los Cabos and Acapulco. But his biggest achievement was probably reaching the semi-finals at his home Grand Slam – Wimbledon.
The Brit is in Vienna this week and is through to the second round after a third set tiebreak win over Pedro Cachin where he will meet American Marcos Giron. Norrie will need the stars to align over the next two weeks if he is to qualify for the ATP Finals for the second year running.
Jannik Sinner – Umag champion and three-time Grand Slam QFist in 2022
- Current Position – 15th
- Points as of October 27th* – 2,355 (*prior to start of play on Thursday)
- Maximum points possible as of October 31st – 2,810
With 14th placed Matteo Berrettini pulling out of Basel due to a foot injury, the Italian’s chances to make it to Turin seem to be over. But his younger compatriot Jannik Sinner, who has also had a season plagued by injuries and ill-health, remains with a long outside shot to reach the ATP Finals for the second year in a row if he is able to go deep this week and next.
Sinner, who won in Umag and reached the quarter-finals in three of the four Slams this season, is in 15th place and is through to the second round in Vienna where he meets Francisco Cerundolo.
