Paris, Nov 4 (IANS): American tennis star Taylor Fritz has become the fifth player to secure his place in the prestigious eight-man ATP Finals, set to take place in Turin from November 10-17.
Following a breakthrough season, Fritz joins the ranks of Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev, who have already qualified for the season-ending championship in Italy.
Fritz’s qualification comes after a solid performance this season, despite an early exit in the Paris Masters, where he was eliminated in the second round by British No. 1 Jack Draper. At 27, the American will make his second appearance at the ATP Finals.
The ATP Finals in Turin features the top eight singles players of the season, with players accumulating points across tournaments to qualify.
With only three slots left, the competition remains intense among four contenders: Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev.
Djokovic, the two-time defending ATP Finals champion, remains well-positioned to qualify in sixth place with 3,910 points. Despite missing the Paris Masters, his lead in points keeps him in the running for Turin.
The race for the final three spots will see Ruud, Rublev and De Minaur battling it out in different tournaments this week. Both Ruud and Rublev are currently competing in Metz, France while De Minaur is in action in Belgrade, Serbia. Their performances this week will be crucial as they aim to close the points gap with Djokovic and secure their berths in Turin.
Jannik Sinner leads the pack with a remarkable 10,330 points establishing himself as the man to beat heading into the Finals. Meanwhile, Zverev, Alcaraz and Medvedev have also showcased strong form throughout the season, securing their places and positioning themselves as potential champions in Turin.
The current ATP standings as of November 4 are:
Jannik Sinner (ITA) – 10,330 points (Qualified)
Alexander Zverev (GER) – 7,315 points (Qualified)
Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) – 6,810 points (Qualified)
Daniil Medvedev (RUS) – 4,830 points (Qualified)
Taylor Fritz (USA) – 4,300 points (Qualified)
Novak Djokovic (SRB) – 3,910 points
Casper Ruud (NOR) – 3,855 points
Alex De Minaur (AUS) – 3,745 points
Andrey Rublev (RUS) – 3,720 points