Tennis

Holger Rune's impressive run at the Rolex Paris Masters continued as he defeated Alex de Minaur in a thrilling three-set quarterfinal match. The 2022 champion and No. 13 seed is now just one step away from reaching the final and keeping his hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals alive.Rune's victory was hard-fought, as he had to rally from a set down to defeat the No. 9 seed. The Dane broke De Minaur's serve in the first set and held on to win 6-4. However, De Minaur fought back in the second set, breaking Rune's serve twice to level the match.The third set was a tense affair, with both players holding serve until the 11th game. Rune finally broke De Minaur's serve and then served out the match to win 7-5.Rune's victory was a major upset, as De Minaur had won their last two meetings. However, Rune has been in impressive form in Paris, and he is now one of the favorites to win the tournament.In the semifinals, Rune will face No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev. Zverev is a two-time champion in Paris, and he will be a tough opponent for Rune. However, Rune has already shown that he is capable of beating the best players in the world, and he will be confident of his chances of reaching the final.

In a thrilling Paris Masters match that spanned Halloween and Friday, Grigor Dimitrov narrowly escaped defeat against Arthur Rinderknech, keeping his 2024 season alive.Rinderknech, a wild card entrant, had impressed with five ATP Masters 1000 wins this week. He pushed Dimitrov to the brink, winning the second set and forcing a nail-biting tiebreak in the third.The decider was a tense affair, with neither player able to break serve. The tiebreak saw a remarkable sequence of seven consecutive points won by the server. However, Rinderknech's momentum was halted when he conceded a mini-break with a long backhand slice.Dimitrov seized the opportunity, using his signature inside-out forehand to create an opening and block a backhand volley into the open court. Rinderknech's mistimed swing gave Dimitrov the advantage, and an unreturnable serve sealed the victory.Dimitrov, a finalist in Paris last year, remains in contention for the ATP Finals in Turin. He needs to win the tournament or reach the final to qualify, with two ATP 250 events in Belgrade and Metz next week offering additional opportunities.Other ATP Finals contenders, Alex de Minaur, Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Holger Rune, have already advanced to the quarterfinals. De Minaur has overtaken Andrey Rublev for the No. 8 spot, while Tsitsipas and Rune must win the Paris Masters to have a chance of making the prestigious eight-man field.

Andrey Rublev's hopes of qualifying for the Nitto ATP Finals for a fifth consecutive season suffered a major setback on Tuesday as he was upset by Francisco Cerundolo in the second round of the Rolex Paris Masters. The 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) defeat leaves Rublev's fate hanging in the balance, with Alex de Minaur now poised to leapfrog him for a Turin ticket.Rublev had been closely monitoring the race to the ATP Finals in recent weeks, but his bid to secure his place was put in jeopardy by Cerundolo's inspired performance. The Argentine saved three break points in a marathon game to reach 6-5 in the second set and then clinched the match in a tense tiebreak.With Rublev's loss, de Minaur now has a chance to overtake him in the ATP Race to Turin standings. The Australian began the Paris Masters 165 points behind Rublev and will face Cerundolo's compatriot Mariano Navone in his first-round match.Grigor Dimitrov, the returning finalist in Paris, can also join the ATP Finals conversation with another deep run. Casper Ruud, who was one spot ahead of Rublev in the standings, now has more breathing room to work with.Rublev expressed his disappointment after the match but acknowledged that the players who could prevent him from qualifying are "wonderful people." He added, "If I don't qualify, I'll be happy for them."Soon after Cerundolo's victory, it was announced that Taylor Fritz had become the fifth player to qualify for the ATP Finals. The top-ranked American joins Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev in the eight-man field.There are two ATP 250 events available to hopefuls seeking the final three places next week in Metz and Belgrade. Rublev did not initially enter either tournament, but could pursue a wild card if it impacts his chances of making the ATP Finals.

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner's withdrawal from the Rolex Paris Masters has cast a shadow over the final ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the 2024 season. The Italian star, who has enjoyed a stellar year with Grand Slam triumphs at the Australian Open and US Open, announced his decision on Tuesday, citing a lingering illness.Sinner's absence is a significant blow to the tournament, as he was the top seed and a strong contender for the title. In a video message posted to the tournament's social media, Sinner expressed his disappointment at having to withdraw. "I'm very disappointed to tell you that I'm not able to play here at this tournament," he said. "I came very early here to prepare and felt sick. I'm having a virus at the moment, which is going to pass in the next two-three days. So, body-wise, I'm not ready to compete."Sinner's withdrawal comes after a hectic fall swing that included a runner-up finish at the China Open, a victory at the Rolex Shanghai Masters over Novak Djokovic, and a lucrative appearance at the inaugural Six Kings Slam exhibition in Riyadh. The 23-year-old Italian took home over six million dollars in both appearance and prize money for winning the six-man event, but he emphasized that his primary motivation was to test himself against the world's best players."Of course, it's a nice prize and everything," Sinner explained, "but for me, I went there because there were possibly the six best players in the world. And then you can measure yourself with them."Despite his withdrawal from the Rolex Paris Masters, Sinner has already secured a berth at the ATP Finals in Turin. He will be replaced in the draw by lucky loser Arthur Cazaux, who will open against either Corentin Moutet or Ben Shelton.

Rohan Bopanna, India's premier doubles player, has secured a spot in the prestigious season-ending ATP Finals alongside his Australian partner Matthew Ebden. This marks Bopanna's fourth appearance in the tournament, a testament to his exceptional skills and longevity in the sport.The Indo-Aussie duo clinched their place after Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow were eliminated at the Rolex Paris Masters, finalizing the 2024 field. Joining Bopanna and Ebden in Turin's elite line-up are Wesley Koolhof/Nikola Mektic, Kevin Krawietz/Tim Puetz, Harri Heliovaara/Henry Patten, Marcelo Arevalo/Mate Pavic, Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos, Simone Bolelli/Andrea Vavassori, and Max Purcell/Jordan Thompson.The ATP Finals, scheduled for November 10-17 at the Inalpi Arena, feature only the top eight doubles teams globally. Bopanna and Ebden have had a remarkable season, starting with a triumph at the Australian Open, where Bopanna became the oldest man at 43 years, 331 days to become a world No. 1. They also won the Miami Open and reached the final in Adelaide and the semi-finals at Roland Garros.This is the second consecutive year that Bopanna and Ebden have qualified for the ATP Finals. In 2023, they reached the semi-finals in Turin before being defeated by Granollers and Zeballos. For Bopanna, this event holds special significance as he aims to capture his maiden ATP Finals title. He previously finished as the finalist in 2012 with Mahesh Bhupathi and again in 2015 alongside Florin Mergea.Bopanna's ATP Finals journey began in 2011 with Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi. His experience and determination will be crucial as he and Ebden strive to make a deep run in Turin and challenge for the coveted title.

Casper Ruud, the former World No. 2 and current Top 10 player, has endured a disappointing end to the 2024 season. Despite a strong start with a 47-22 record and a 68.1% winning percentage, Ruud has lost seven of his last nine matches, including stunning defeats to Henrique Rocha, Aleksandar Vukic, and Roberto Bautista Agut.Ruud's recent struggles have raised concerns about his motivation and preparation for the end of the season. He has openly criticized the lack of an offseason in tennis, suggesting that he may not be prioritizing this period. This is surprising considering his position in the ATP Finals race.One of Ruud's most notable losses during this slump was against Jordan Thompson in Tokyo. Thompson, who has a 4-3 head-to-head record against Ruud, has won two of their three encounters in 2024. Thompson's success against Ruud stems from his aggressive style of play, featuring a big serve and strong net play.Thompson's ability to exploit Ruud's weaknesses has made him a formidable opponent. While Ruud possesses a powerful forehand and a solid serve, his game can be inconsistent. Thompson has consistently found ways to expose these flaws.Given Ruud's recent form and Thompson's head-to-head advantage, the Australian is a strong pick to win their upcoming match at the Rolex Paris Masters. Despite Ruud's higher ranking and reputation, Thompson's current form and familiarity with his opponent's weaknesses make him the more likely victor.

Andrey Rublev's remarkable season has been marked by both triumph and adversity. After capturing his second ATP Masters 1000 title in Madrid, the Russian faced a life-threatening health scare that nearly prevented him from competing in Asia.Rublev underwent surgery just days before his scheduled departure for China, where he was set to play in Hangzhou, Beijing, and Shanghai. Doctors initially informed him that he would be unable to play in China due to the severity of his condition, which required a month of recovery time.However, Rublev defied the odds and made a remarkable return to action in Beijing, where he defeated Pablo Carreno Busta and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to reach the quarterfinals. Despite his impressive performance, Rublev admitted that he is still not fully fit and is hoping to regain his fitness through match play.The surgery was performed to prevent the amputation of an unspecified limb, Rublev revealed. He was fortunate that the issue was identified within the first few hours, as amputation would have been necessary after five or six hours.Rublev's health scare is his second major setback this season. In Madrid, he was hospitalized with inflammation in his throat and a swollen toe, which turned out to be a tonsillar abscess that restricted his airways.Despite these challenges, Rublev remains determined to finish the season strong. He is currently ranked No. 7 in the Race to Turin and is hoping to qualify for the ATP Finals.

In a thrilling encounter at the Tokyo Open, Tomas Machac overcame a spirited challenge from Tommy Paul to secure a hard-fought 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4) victory and advance to the quarterfinals.Machac, ranked 34th in the world, found himself trailing for much of the match against the fifth-seeded Paul. However, the Czech displayed remarkable resilience, particularly in the decisive tiebreaker, to snatch the victory.Paul, who was aiming to boost his chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals in Turin, had several opportunities to seize control of the match. He squandered four break points in the opening game of the second set and missed three game points that could have leveled the score at 3-3.In the third set, Paul surged to a 3-0 lead and came within two points of victory at 5-4, deuce. But Machac refused to surrender, delivering pinpoint serves when it mattered most.In the tiebreaker, Machac seized the initiative with a blistering backhand return up the line off Paul's second serve. He followed it up with a backhand drop volley and two powerful first serves to deny Paul any chance of a comeback."I had to play much better in the second set," Machac said after the match. "The third set was unbelievable from my side. It's tough conditions, but for me it's great. And cold."Machac's victory extended his impressive record against American opponents to 6-1 in tour-level main draws this season. He will now face Alex Michelsen in the semifinals, a player he defeated in the quarterfinals of the Geneva Open earlier this year.Michelsen, a 20-year-old qualifier from California, cruised past Christopher O'Connell 6-1, 6-4 to set up the clash with Machac. Michelsen saved all three break points he faced to reach his seventh quarterfinal of the year.

Lorenzo Musetti, the 30th-ranked Italian, has reached the final of the grass-court Queen's Club Championships after a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Jordan Thompson on Saturday. Musetti, who has won both of his previous two tour-level finals, will face Tommy Paul for the title.Musetti, who has never reached a final on grass before, expressed his excitement about the opportunity to win at Queen's Club. "It would be super nice to win here in Queen's with so much history," he said. "There are a lot of Italians here in London, I really feel like I'm at home."Earlier in the day, 13th-ranked Paul advanced to the final after defeating fellow American Sebastian Korda 6-4, 7-6 (2) in an all-American semifinal. Korda suffered an ankle injury in a fall towards the end of the first set, which was treated at the changeover.The final between Musetti and Paul promises to be a thrilling encounter. Musetti, with his powerful groundstrokes and impressive net play, will be looking to continue his winning streak in finals. Paul, on the other hand, will be aiming to win his first ATP Tour title and cement his status as one of the rising stars of the game.