Sinner: The defending champ 'chasing' Turin repeat
Sinner: The defending champ ‘chasing’ Turin repeat
Sinner: The defending champ ‘chasing’ Turin repeat
Carlos Alcaraz is in firm control of the battle for ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. Can Jannik Sinner make a huge late-season comeback to snatch the accolade from his great rival?
If Sinner dreams of doing so, he must begin with a deep run this week at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna.
The Italian is competing at the Austrian ATP 500 event and can therefore add 500 points to his PIF ATP Live Race To Turin total this week. Should he triumph, he would gain 500 points on Alcaraz, who is not in action.
PIF ATP Live Race To Turin
| Player | Live Points | Max Points This Week |
| 1) Carlos Alcaraz | 11,040 | 11,040 |
| 2) Jannik Sinner | 8,500 | 9,000 |
This is important because of the lack of margin for error Sinner has. The 24-year-old currently trails Alcaraz by 2,540 points in the Live Race, which serves as a barometer for the year-end No. 1 battle.
After this week, both stars are scheduled to play the Rolex Paris Masters (max 1,000 points) and the Nitto ATP Finals (max 1,500 points). That means Sinner needs to earn every point he can the rest of the season and hope Alcaraz — who is 67-7 in 2025 according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index — does not maintain his performance.
If Sinner lifts the Vienna trophy for the second time, he will trail the Spaniard by 2,040 points in the Live Race entering Paris, where he could narrow the deficit even more. Alcaraz would still have a very healthy advantage, but a small amount of pressure would begin to mount.
If Sinner fails to win a match in Vienna, he would trail by 2,540 points entering the season’s final ATP Masters 1000 event. At that point, even with victories in Paris and Turin, Sinner would have just 11,000 points to Alcaraz’s current 11,040. The Italian is not entered in Athens or Metz the week between Paris and Turin.
Both men are pursuing their second ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF finish, with Alcaraz achieving the feat in 2022 and Sinner doing so last year.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]One of the best stories of the season was the fairytale Shanghai final between cousins Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech. They will be back in ATP Masters 1000 action in less than two weeks.
Shanghai champion Vacherot and finalist Rinderknech headlined the Rolex Paris Masters main draw wild cards, which tournament organisers announced Tuesday.
Vacherot will make his debut at the season’s final Masters 1000 event, while Rinderknech owns a 2-3 record at the tournament according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
Vacherot was No. 204 in the PIF ATP Rankings when he triumphed in Shanghai and is now at a career-high World No. 39.
Arthur Cazaux and Terence Atmane each also received a wild card into the main draw. Atmane enjoyed a dream Masters 1000 run of his own in Cincinnati, where the Frenchman made the semi-finals as a qualifier before falling to Jannik Sinner.
Ugo Blanchet, Hugo Gaston, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Kyrian Jacquet each received a wild card into qualifying.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Lorenzo Musetti was not thrown off by an unexpected late change of opponent on Tuesday at the Erste Bank Open, where the Italian eased past Hamad Medjedovic to kick-start his campaign at the ATP 500.
Saturday’s draw in Vienna had pitched fourth seed Musetti against Stefanos Tsitsipas, but the Greek was forced to withdraw shortly before the match due to a back injury. The 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion Medjedovic stepped up to play as a lucky loser, but Musetti shut down the Serbian’s powerful game with a classy 79-minute display.
“There was a late switch, but of course I think I managed well to focus on my things and what I have to do when I step on the court,” said Musetti after his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with Medjedovic. “I think it was a solid performance. Nothing special, but definitely what I needed in these moments, to stay solid and stay focused.
“I had a really great attitude today after the beginning was a little bit nervous. It was a great reaction, and that is what we are focusing on, and then I think the tennis will come.”
Now 39-17 for the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, Musetti will take on Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the second round after the Argentine defeated #NextGenATP star Nicolai Budkov Kjaer 6-3, 6-3. Musetti, who is currently eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, seeks a deep run in Vienna in order to bolster his chances of securing a Nitto ATP Finals debut.
Andrey Rublev’s outside hopes of reaching the Nitto ATP Finals for the sixth consecutive year suffered a significant blow when the seventh seed tumbled to an early exit in Vienna. Cameron Norrie produced a fast start and fast finish to prevail 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-2 against Rublev, who is 15th in the Live Race, and level the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series at 3-3.
Home favourite Filip Misolic and Francisco Cerundolo were also first-round winners on Tuesday in the Austrian capital. Wild card Misolic downed Camilo Ugo Carabelli 7-5, 7-6(6) to set a meeting with third seed Alex de Minaur. Misolic has risen nine spots to No. 86 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings by reaching the second round on home soil, setting him up to surpass his career high of No. 92 in next Monday’s edition of the PIF ATP Rankings.
Argentine Cerundolo overcame Alex Michelsen 6-3, 6-1. He will next face eighth seed Alexander Bublik for a quarter-final spot.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]When Jack Draper returns to the ATP Tour in 2026, the Briton’s team will have a different feel.
The 23-year-old, who was forced to end his season after the US Open due to a left arm injury, has hired Andy Murray’s former coach Jamie Delgado and will part ways with longtime coach James Trotman. The coach has decided to step away from his role to focus on his family life as a husband and father.
“My relationship with Jack is strong. We are extremely close,” Trotman said in a BBC Sport article. “We spent more time with each other than anybody else on the planet over the past four years. We are going to stay incredibly close and obviously I’ll be following and supporting in any way I can from the sidelines.”
Trotman helped guide Draper to his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells in March, with the British No. 1 reaching a career-high PIF ATP Ranking of No. 4 in June and posting a 30-9 record this season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. The pair won three tour-level titles together, including Stuttgart and Vienna last season.
“Whatever Jack does in the future, I feel incredibly proud of the work that I’ve done,” Trotman said. “And where Jack is now is not just as a result of me, it’s a result of everybody that’s worked with Jack and his family from a young age.”
Delgado most recently worked with Grigor Dimitrov for three years, with their partnership ending last month. He also coached Gilles Muller in addition to his time with Murray from 2016 to 2021.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]The final ATP Masters 1000 event of the season is the Rolex Paris Masters. No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev and Taylor Fritz are set to headline the action at the 40th edition of the tournament.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of the indoor hard-court event in France:
The ATP 1000 event will be held from 27 October to 2 November. It will take place at the Paris La Defense Arena in Paris, France. The tournament director is Cedric Pioline.
Sinner, Alcaraz, Zverev, Fritz, Ben Shelton, Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti are among the field in Paris. Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard will lead the home charge at the event.
The Rolex Paris Masters draw will be made on Friday, 24 October at 6:30 p.m. local time (CEST).
Singles & Doubles Main Draw: Monday 27 October – Sunday 2 November
Doubles final: Sunday, 2 November at 12:30 p.m.
Singles final: Sunday, 2 November, not before 3 p.m.
View On Official Website
[ATP APP]The prize money for the Rolex Paris Masters is €6,128,940.
SINGLES:
Winner: €946,610/ 1000 points
Finalist: €516,925 / 650 points
Semi-finalist: €282,650/ 400 points
Quarter-finalist: €154,170/ 200 points
Round of 16: €82,465/ 100 points
Round of 32: €44,220/ 50 points
Round of 64: €24,500/ 10 points
Qualifying: -/ 30 points
Qualifying 2: €12,550/ 16 points
Qualifying 1: €6,750/ 0 points
DOUBLES (€ per team):
Winner: €290,410 / 1000 points
Finalist: €157,760 / 600 points
Semi-finalist: €86,600/ 360 points
Quarter-finalist: €47,810/ 180 points
Round of 16: €26,275/ 90 points
Round of 28: €15,350 /0 points
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Hashtag: #RolexParisMasters
YouTube: Rolex Paris Masters
Facebook: Rolex Paris Masters
Instagram: rolexparismasters
Twitter: @RolexPMasters
Zverev eased past home favourite Humbert 6-2, 6-2 to in the final to clinch the title in Paris. With his win, the German claimed his seventh ATP Masters 1000 trophy. In the doubles final, Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic rallied past Lloyd Glasspool and Adam Pavlasek 3-6, 6-3, 10-5.
Most Titles, Singles: Novak Djokovic (7)
Oldest Champion: Novak Djokovic, 36, in 2023
Youngest Champion: Boris Becker, 18, in 1986
Last Home Champion: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2008
Highest-Ranked Champion: No. 1s Stefan Edberg in 1990, Pete Sampras in 1997, Andre Agassi in 1999, Novak Djokovic in 2014-15, 2019, 2021, 2023
Lowest-Ranked Champion: No. 50 Tomas Berdych in 2005
Most Match Wins: Novak Djokovic (50)
View Who Is Playing, Past Champions, Seeds, Points & Prize Money Breakdown
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
Ben Shelton earned his first win since the US Open on Tuesday at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where he saved two match points to overcome Kamil Majchrzak 6-7(2), 6-3, 7-6(7) and further improve his Nitto ATP Finals qualification hopes.
Shelton retired during his third-round match against Adrian Mannarino at the US Open due to a left shoulder injury and returned to Tour earlier this month in Shanghai, where he suffered an opening-round exit to David Goffin.
The 23-year-old was not at his free-flowing best against the Pole Majchrzak but found his trademark fighting spirit in the closing stages. Shelton saved two match points in the third-set tie-break from 4/6, eventually converting on his second opportunity to advance after two hours and 43 minutes. The lefty, who advanced to the final in Basel 12 months ago, will next meet Jaume Munar.
“It was such tight margins. He had the match on his racquet and then I had it on mine,” Shelton said. “Early in a tournament, on a court as fast as this, you are going to see a lot of matches of fine margins and you need to stay there mentally and stay tough and I did a great job of that.
“He served great, dealt with my serve great and played tough from the baseline. It is the first match that I have won since getting injured and I am just really happy I was able to get some momentum.”
Shelton is sixth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 625 points clear of ninth-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime, who is the first player outside the Top-8 cut. Auger-Aliassime is also in action in Basel.
In a dramatic conclusion to the first set, Shelton saved three break points at 5-5 with some big serving and then was up 0/30 on the Majchrzak delivery when 6-5 up. However, he lost 11 of the last 13 points in the set to fall behind. The American received a medical timeout for blisters in the second set but remained soild, not facing a break point on his serve to force a decider.
Shelton, who struck 44 winners, then saved two match points in the third-set tie-break before he eventually triumphed. Following his victory, Shelton let out a roar in the direction of his father Bryan Shelton, who was watching on.
“It is huge for me,” Shelton added when asked about his first win since his injury. “When trying to find your rhythm again, it can be tough. As a tennis player, when you are playing guys at the end of the season in form and you have taken some weeks off and have lost some rhythm [it’s tough], but I did a great job in my preparation for this tournament to get to a place where I could be competing.”
Earlier, Joao Fonseca defeated defending champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(6), 6-3 to become the youngest match winner at the ATP 500 event since Denis Shapovalov in 2017.
The 19-year-old moved forward effectively throughout the clash, following in heavy forehands to win 72 per cent (21/29) of net points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Fonseca will play fellow #NextGenATP star Jakub Mensik in the second round.
Fonseca has enjoyed an impressive first full season on Tour. The 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion won his maiden tour-level crown in Buenos Aires and broke the Top 50 in the PIF ATP Rankings. The Brazilian holds a 22-15 record on the year.
In other action, Marin Cilic overcame Belgian lucky loser David Goffin 7-6(9), 7-5 to reach the second round. The Croatian, who beat Goffin in qualifying in Basel, will next meet fifth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or Gabriel Diallo. Cilic and Goffin are locked at 5-5 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
Reilly Opelka beat Sebastian Baez 6-3, 6-4 and Valentin Royer downed Raphael Collignon 6-4, 7-6(5).
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the upcoming Rolex Paris Masters, where he is a record seven-time champion.
The 38-year-old last competed earlier this month in the semi-finals in Shanghai, where he fell to surprise champion Valentin Vacherot.
“Dear Paris, Unfortunately I’ll not compete at this year’s Rolex Paris Masters,” Djokovic wrote on social media. “I have amazing memories and great success over the years, especially being able to conquer the title 7 times. Hope to see you next year. Merci 🙏”
Dear Paris, unfortunately I’ll not compete at this year’s @RolexPMasters. I have amazing memories and great success over the years, especially being able to conquer the title 7 times. Hope to see you next year. Merci 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/y4iEmMYUAn
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) October 21, 2025
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will headline the 2025 edition of the French ATP Masters 1000 event, which is the first since its relocation to La Défense Arena. The tournament runs from 27 October to 2 November.
Djokovic on Saturday guaranteed his qualification for the Nitto ATP Finals for the 18th time, tying Roger Federer’s all-time record. The Serbian has won a record seven titles at the season finale.
The 38-year-old owns a 35-11 season record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, highlighted by claiming his 100th tour-level title in Geneva and reaching the semi-finals at all four majors.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Eighteen days will have been long enough for Daniel Altmaier to stew over his most recent meeting with Jannik Sinner.
The German will on Wednesday seek quick revenge against the No. 2 in the PIF ATP Rankings when they meet in the first round at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna. It will be the pair’s second Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in quick succession following Sinner’s 6-3, 6-3 triumph on 4 October at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.
“Honestly, I am very positive about it,” Altmaier told ATPTour.com shortly after being drawn against the top-seeded Sinner at the ATP 500. “I’m always really looking forward to having revenge as soon as possible. I’m that kind of guy who really loves the challenge of revenge, so something like that always gets the best out of me. I’m really looking forward to that match.
“Obviously, playing against those big guys comes with playing in front of big crowds. Having a lot of German supporters here in Vienna too… To be honest, I’m looking forward to it.”
Even at 27 years old, the World No. 51 Altmaier considers himself a player in transition. His efforts to add variety to his game appear to have paid off in 2025, during which he has notched a single-season personal-best 18 tour-level victories, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. He has high hopes of further extending that record by upsetting Sinner for the sixth Top 10 win of his career on Wednesday afternoon.
“I think I have different game styles that I am really working on currently to become a better player,” said Altmaier. “One is an aggressive side, and the other is a little bit more patient. The mental side is really crucial also. One aspect [with this match] is that we are at the end of the year, so it is mentally more challenging. I’m going to sit down with my team and see which tactic is best to get into the match. Also as the match develops, we are going to adjust.”
Altmaier knows what it takes to defeat Sinner. At 2023 Roland Garros, he outlasted the Italian, then the World No. 9, across five sets in a five-hour, 26-minute marathon. That win came just a few months before Sinner lifted his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title in Toronto and kick-started a scintillating run of form that has barely ceased since.
“It was a great win, this one,” said Altmaier of his 2023 second-round triumph against Sinner in Paris. “[But since then] he definitely became a consistent player who has dominated the Tour with Carlos [Alcaraz], which is a fact. I think you have to respect that, and I really like seeing what other guys do with their game to become that consistent. I’m someone who really looks left and right to see and pick the best things for me.”
Just four spots shy of his career-high in the PIF ATP Rankings, Altmaier is seeking a late-season surge on the indoor hard-courts of Europe to cap a career-best year that he nonetheless acknowledges has not always gone to plan.
“I developed a lot as a player this year, on the mental side and the personal side, but have been winning more matches and have become more consistent,” said the German. “I also had my challenges throughout the year. Changes in my team, which had a big effect on me, but I think I’m happy to be in this position, close to my best ranking, and there is only, for the next three or four months, the opportunity to go up.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]Italy’s second seed Camilla Rosatello was knocked out in the opening game of the Wrexham Open by Slovakia’s Katarina Kuzmova.