Will anyone chase down Musetti in chase for Nitto ATP Finals spot?
Is Lorenzo Musetti’s bid for a maiden Nitto ATP Finals qualification under threat from Felix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud and Daniil Medvedev?
All three stars claimed ATP 250 titles on Sunday that could prove pivotal as the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin nears its climax. With 10th-placed Jack Draper sideline for the remainder of the season through injury, Auger-Aliassime (ninth), Ruud (11th) and Medvedev (12th) continue to pile the pressure on Musetti, who currently occupies the final qualification spot in eighth, and Alex de Minaur, who is just ahead in seventh..
Musetti has made it clear that a big goal this season is to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, which is especially important to the Italian given the event is played on home soil. But Musetti has never earned his place at the season finale before, while those behind him have.
Three years ago, Auger-Aliassime made a late charge into the field thanks to success during this same indoor season. Ruud is a three-time qualifier for the year-end championships, while Medvedev is pursuing his seventh consecutive qualification.
PIF ATP Live Race To Turin (following Brussels, Stockholm, Almaty)
| Player | Points |
| 4) Alexander Zverev | 4,280 |
| 5) Taylor Fritz | 3,835 |
| 6) Ben Shelton | 3,720 |
| 7) Alex de Minaur | 3,545 |
| 8) Lorenzo Musetti | 3,485 |
| 9) Felix Auger-Aliassime | 3,155 |
| 10) Jack Draper | 2,990 |
| 11) Casper Ruud | 2,745 |
| 12) Daniil Medvedev | 2,610 |
*Draper is not competing the rest of the season through injury
Following his sixth ATP Tour title on indoor courts in Brussels, Auger-Aliassime trails Musetti by just 330 points. He is a proven contender on hard courts and the two-time Basel champion has the opportunity to further close the gap when he returns to the ATP 500 event.
Ruud clinched his maiden Stockholm trophy and sent a reminder. He is 740 points behind Musetti but could also push further when he competed in Basel.
Medvedev entered the Rolex Shanghai Masters in 20th place in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, but he reached the semi-finals and backed it up with a title run at the Almaty Open. The former Nitto ATP Finals champion is now 13th and will fancy his chances to gain more ground in Vienna and Paris, where he has triumphed in the past.
Musetti — along with sixth-placed Ben Shelton — is aiming to make his debut at the year-end championships. Fourth-placed Alexander Zverev, fifth-placed Taylor Fritz and seventh-placed Alex de Minaur all have experience at the Nitto ATP Finals, and they are still trying to secure their spot in Turin.
De Minaur made his debut one year ago and is trying to return to Inalpi Arena. The Australian has cushion in seventh place, but he is only 60 points ahead of Musetti.
Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic have already qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals. Sinner is the defending champion, while Alcaraz will chase his first title at the tournament. Djokovic is the record seven-time champion at the season finale.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]