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Musetti chases Turin dream in Athens, Djokovic may face bogeyman

  • Posted: Nov 01, 2025

The ATP 250 in Athens next week could decide Lorenzo Musetti’s Nitto ATP Finals fate and feature an early test for 100-time tour-level titlist Novak Djokovic, providing several intriguing storylines for fans to follow at the Vanda Pharmaceuticals Hellenic Championship.

With one Nitto ATP Finals spot still up for grabs, Musetti is fighting to keep his hopes alive in a tight PIF ATP Live Race To Turin that could be decided in the final week of the season. Meanwhile, top-seeded Djokovic could open his campaign against a familiar foe — Alejandro Tabilo, one of three players to have faced the Serbian at least twice and not lost.

[ATP AWARDS]

Musetti, eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, is aiming to make his Nitto ATP Finals debut and join countryman Jannik Sinner at the season finale on home soil.

Should ninth-placed Felix Auger-Aliassime win his semi-final match Saturday at the Rolex Paris Masters, the Canadian will move ahead of Musetti, adding weight to the 23-year-old’s Athens appearance. Musetti will begin against former No. 3 Stan Wawrinka or Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp.

Djokovic, competing for the first time since Shanghai, will face either Tabilo or Australian Adam Walton in his opening match. Tabilo beat the 100-time tour-level titlist Djokovic earlier this year in Monte-Carlo and last season in Rome. Djokovic holds a 35-11 season record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

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Zverev saves 2 MPs to escape 'kryptonite' Medvedev in Paris

  • Posted: Nov 01, 2025

Alexander Zverev earned a memorable victory Friday when he saved two match points to oust rival Daniil Medvedev and keep his title defence hopes alive at the Rolex Paris Masters.

Zverev’s 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) victory ends his five-match skid against Medvedev and earns him a semi-final showdown against second seed Jannik Sinner, a rematch of last week’s Vienna final won by the Italian. Meanwhile, Medvedev’s chances of a Nitto ATP Finals bid are done.

“The thing I’m most pleased with is the match points saved, the way I continued being brave and in the important moments, winning the match myself,” Zverev said in his on-court interview.

[ATP AWARDS]

From the start, a dialled-in Medvedev stuck to his trademark deep return position, which Zverev tried to counter early with serve-and-volleys or by using drop shots. Zverev, who fell in the eighth game and briefly held his left hamstring, switched his strategy to rely more on his firepower. He lifted the ante and began to test Medvedev from the baseline.

“I felt like in the beginning I was playing well, but I was playing very stupid tactically,” Zverev said. “I felt my shots, I felt like I could turn the match around because I was feeling really well with my shots, but again, I was playing very, very dumb. I changed a few things in my tactics and broke back. He helped me with a break break [at 1-0 in the second set].”

Facing two match points on serve at 4-5 in the decider, Zverev kept his cool, even when faced with a nervy sitting overhead that he put away. He would later miss a similar shot at 5/3 in the tie-break.

In the same game he twice saved match point, the 28-year-old won a crucial Deuce point with a 27-shot rally that ended with a net cord winner. Eventually sealing the win in a back-and-forth tie-break, Zverev laid on the court in relief after the two-hour, thirty-minute victory.

Zverev is now 8-14 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Medvedev and will next look to break his 4-4 tie with Sinner.

“Daniil is kind of my kryptonite, I don’t like playing him,” Zverev said with a laugh. “He’s somebody who has had my number for the last couple of years. I’m very pleased with the win for sure. Against Jannik, we had a fantastic match last Sunday. I’m happy to be on court with him again. Hopefully we share another great match.”

Zverev committed nine backhand unforced errors for the match, compared to Medvedev’s 23. But Medvedev held the advantage off the forehand side, crushing 19 winners to 12 unforced errors. Zverev hit 14 forehand winners and 21 unforced errors.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Sinner soars past Shelton, one step closer to regaining World No. 1

  • Posted: Oct 31, 2025

Jannik Sinner powered past Ben Shelton on Friday at the Rolex Paris Masters to reach the semi-finals of the French ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time and continue his push to return to World No. 1.

The second seed delivered a statement in his 400th tour-level match, ousting the American 6-3, 6-3 to extend his indoor winning streak to 24, dating back to November 2023. Should Sinner claim his fifth trophy this season — and first ATP Masters 1000 title of 2025 — he would return to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings on Monday.

“It was a very tough match. At times against Ben you don’t have a lot of control because of his incredible serving, but today I felt like I was returning very well,” said Sinner, who won 71 per cent of his second-serve return points, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “Also from the back of the court, I played very solid and also very aggressive, so I’m very happy about today’s match.”

[ATP AWARDS]

Sinner did not commit a single unforced error off his reliable two-handed backhand and finished with just 10 on his forehand. The Italian was aggressive on second-serve returns and showcased lightning-fast reflexes against Shelton’s hefty delivery.

After earning triple set point at 5-3 in the opener, Sinner converted his second opportunity when he leapt aside to evade Shelton’s booming body serve before running down a backhand and drilling the ball into the open court to close out the 34-minute set.

Sinner wavered briefly at 3-1 in the second set when he was broken to love, with Shelton sealing the game with a banana-curling forehand pass. But Sinner quickly regrouped to race towards a 69-minute victory. Shelton’s bold second-serve gamble, a 190 km/h delivery, at 3-4 backfired with a double fault, allowing Sinner to serve for the match.

Up next for Sinner will be third seed Alexander Zverev or 11th seed Daniil Medvedev, who continues his late-season charge towards a once-unlikely Nitto ATP Finals berth. Sinner leads Medvedev 8-7 in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series and is tied with Zverev at 4-4, including a win last week against the German in the Vienna final.

With his victory Friday, Sinner became the first Italian man to reach 43 tour-level semi-finals, breaking his tie with Fabio Fognini and Adriano Panatta. Sinner is also the first Italian to reach the Rolex Paris Masters semi-finals. Sinner entered the week with just one win across his previous three appearances at the indoor event.

Since falling to Shelton in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting two years ago in Shanghai, Sinner has won seven consecutive matches against the 23-year-old. The Italian is 22-0 against Americans since that defeat and 14-0 against left-handers in that time.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Auger-Aliassime moves closer to Turin following Paris QF win

  • Posted: Oct 31, 2025

Felix Auger-Aliassime moved to within 145 points of Lorenzo Musetti in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin on Friday, when he ended the run of French wild card Valentin Vacherot to reach the semi-finals at the Rolex Paris Masters.

Vacherot had won his past 10 ATP Masters 1000 matches, highlighted by his fairytale victory in the Shanghai final earlier this month. However, he was unable to cope with Auger-Aliassime’s weight of shot and intensity in Paris, where the ninth seed earned a 6-2, 6-2 win to reach his fourth Masters 1000 semi-final.

“Every opponent is different. It was an interesting challenge coming onto court today and playing a player I knew from practice but had never played in a match. He is so confident and you are kind of scared to be honest,” Auger-Aliassime said. “You are not sure if he has got some magic right now that nobody else has but he is playing unbelievably. But I had to be so focused from the start and this level of intensity from the first game I brought helped ease me into the match and I played some good tennis.”

Auger-Aliassime rallied from a set down in his first three matches in the French capital but was in control from early on in his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting against Vacherot. The 25-year-old, who broke Vacherot’s serve in the opening game, has reached 10 tour-level semi-finals this season, lifting trophies in Adelaide, Montpellier and Brussels.

Auger-Aliassime will next meet Alex de Minaur or Alexander Bublik. The eight-time tour-level titlist is 145 points behind Musetti in the Live Race To Turin and will leapfrog the Italian if he reaches the final. Auger-Aliassime is chasing his second appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals, having qualified in 2022.

He struck 22 winners and committed 10 unforced errors in his win against Vacherot and is 47-21 on the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

“I am trying to win every match I play,” Auger-Aliassime added. “Whether it is the end of the year or start of the year, everything counts and adds up in this sport. I think the work I put in, the routines. I try to be consistent with my work and try to bring consistency with everything I do and it is very gratifying when you get the consistency with your results.”

Vacherot stunned the tennis world when he won in Shanghai to become the lowest-ranked player in history to win a Masters 1000 title. The Monegasque star is up 10 spots to No. 30 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings after his quarter-final run in Paris.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Sinner reaches Paris QFs for first time, faces Shelton next

  • Posted: Oct 30, 2025

Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarter-finals at the Rolex Paris Masters for the first time on Thursday, when he moved past Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 to keep alive his hopes of returning to No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

The Italian moved tentatively at times between points in the opening set and flexed out his right leg but never called for a medical timeout during the 86-minute clash. The second seed struck 12 winners to just two unforced errors in the opening set to lead and then won a 10-minute game at the start of the second set to break Cerundolo’s serve, striking a forehand winner on his second break point of the game. From that moment, Sinner raced to victory.

With his win, Sinner became the first Italian to reach the quarter-finals at all nine ATP Masters 1000 events. The 24-year-old has triumphed at Masters 1000 events in Miami, Canada, Cincinnati and Shanghai.

Sinner, who leads Cerundolo 4-2 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, has won his past 23 matches indoors and has kept alive his hopes of capitalising on Carlos Alcaraz’s early Paris loss in the battle for World No. 1: The Italian can return to top spot next Monday if he can lift his first Masters 1000 title of the season.

Sinner will next meet Ben Shelton after the American defeated Andrey Rublev 7-6(6), 6-3. Shelton and Sinner will both compete at the Nitto ATP Finals next month.

Shelton defeated Sinner in Shanghai in 2023 but has lost the six following meetings, not winning a set in any of the encounters. The American will hope to change that record on Friday.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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De Minaur to return to Nitto ATP Finals for second consecutive season

  • Posted: Oct 30, 2025

Alex de Minaur has qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals for the second consecutive season.

The 26-year-old guaranteed his spot at the season finale in Turin when he reached the Rolex Paris Masters quarter-finals on Thursday.

Before De Minaur qualified last year, the most recent Australian who played in the tournament was Lleyton Hewitt in 2004. Now De Minaur is returning to compete at Inalpi Arena for the second time.

The seventh Turin qualifier won the third ATP 500 of his career this year in Washington, where he saved three championship points in a dramatic final against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

De Minaur also made the final in Rotterdam and semi-finals in Monte-Carlo, Beijing and Vienna. He earned the 300th tour-level victory of his career in Vienna.

The Australian leads the ATP Tour in hard-court wins with 42 as of his third-round victory against Karen Khachanov in Paris.

Only one spot remains at the year-end championships, with Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz already qualified. Lorenzo Musetti is currently eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, with Felix Auger-Aliassime 290 points behind. The Canadian is into the Paris quarter-finals.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Vote For Your Favourite Player & Team In 2025 ATP Awards

  • Posted: Oct 30, 2025

It’s time to vote! We need your help to determine the Fans’ Favourite winners in the 2025 ATP Awards.

Which tennis players have entertained you during the 2025 ATP Tour season? Show your support by selecting your favourite singles player and doubles team from the dropdowns below, and then submit your vote.

Voting for the 2025 Fans’ Favourite Awards closes at 11:59pm GMT on Friday, 21 November.

Note: Fans’ Favourite candidates are active players in the Top 100 of the PIF ATP Rankings and Top 20 teams in the PIF ATP Doubles Team Rankings as of 27 October 2025. The Top 100 includes players with protected ATP Rankings who have played at least one tour-level match in 2025. Candidates with protected rankings are noted in the list with (PR). 


Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we celebrate players and tournaments in the 2025 ATP Awards!

This year, the ATP is unveiling changes to the ATP Awards, designed to enhance the prestige and excitement of the season’s most celebrated honours. 

For the first time, members of the exclusive ATP No. 1 Club – the 29 current and former players to have reached World No. 1 – will decide the winners of Breakthrough of the Year and the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. 

The new Breakthrough of the Year category goes to the player who made the biggest breakthrough on the ATP Tour this season, with consideration given to milestone wins, significant jumps in the PIF ATP Rankings and first ATP Tour titles. Whilst there are no age restrictions, the Award is aimed at Next Gen and young players. 

FULL 2025 ATP AWARDS LINE-UP

Determined by PIF ATP Rankings
• ATP No. 1 presented by PIF
• ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by PIF

Voted by ATP No. 1 Club
• Breakthrough of the Year 
• Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award

Awarded by ATP
• Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award

Voted by Fans
• Fans’ Favourite Award (Singles)
• Fans’ Favourite Award (Doubles)

Voted by ATP Coaches
• Coach of the Year

Selected by ATP Players
• Tournament of the Year (ATP Masters 1000, 500, 250 and Challenger) 

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