Looking for Tennis and Racket Sports International News?

Gael Monfils and Richard Gasquet headline the wild cards for this year's Rolex Paris Masters, which were announced by the ATP Masters 1000 event on Tuesday.

Monfils will compete in the tournament for the 12th time. He first played the event in 2004 aged 18. The Frenchman is a two-time finalist at Bercy, in 2009 and 2010.

Gasquet will try to make a final magical run at the season's final Masters 1000 event before he retires next year at Roland Garros. The former No. 7 player in the PIF ATP Rankings has played 13 of the past 14 editions of the Rolex Paris Masters and 16 times overall.

[ATP APP]

Adrian Mannarino and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard have also received a main draw wild card. Mpetshi Perricard will make his main draw debut after playing qualifying at the tournament for the first time last year.

Arthur Cazaux, Hugo Gaston, Quentin Halys and Alexandre Muller were awarded qualifying wild cards. The Rolex Paris Masters will take place next week.

Few could compete with Dominic Thiem at his imperious best: Just ask those who tried.

The 31-year-old Austrian, who this week will compete in the final event of his pro career at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, combined heavy groundstrokes with sublime movement and a rock-solid net game. Those abilities carried him to a career-high No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and helped him earn 17 tour-level trophies, including a major title at the 2020 US Open.

“He was so complete,” Matteo Berrettini told ATPTour.com this week in Vienna, where Thiem will take on Luciano Darderi in the first round on Tuesday evening. “He had everything. Backhand, forehand, serve, moving well, fighting like hell. He had great hands as well, so he was really tricky to play.

“We played on a lot of different surfaces, but the first time I played him was at Roland Garros in 2018. On clay, I could feel it after three sets. The intensity was really high, and he was fresh [at the end], so I was like, ‘I’ve got to work hard in order to beat this guy’. That was his strength… He was really someone that I always looked up to, because the energy he brought to the court was special.”

For many of Thiem’s fans and his rival players alike, one aspect of the Austrian’s game particularly stood out: his backhand. He arrived on Tour in an era where the one-hander was becoming increasingly rare, particularly among the game’s elite. Yet similarly to his fellow Grand Slam champions Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka, one less hand on the racquet had no impact on Thiem’s ability to pack a punch.

Martin Landaluce added his name to an elite company Sunday when he triumphed at the ATP Challenger Tour 125 event in Olbia, Italy.

The 18-year-old, who defeated Mattia Bellucci 6-4, 6-4 in the final, is the youngest Spanish Challenger champion since an 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz in Oeiras in 2021.

Landaluce is the fifth Spaniard since 2000 to win a Challenger title at age 18 or younger. The first four players all ascended to the Top 10 of the PIF ATP Rankings: Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Tommy Robredo and Nicolas Almagro.

Following his title run, the #NextGenATP star is up to eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, putting him in qualifying position for the 20-and-under Next Gen ATP Finals, which runs from 18-22 December.

Due to rain at the Olbia Challenger, Landaluce was forced to play both his semi-final and final match on Sunday. The 2022 US Open boys' singles champion showed no signs of nerves as he captured the milestone victory.

Alexander Zverev wasted little time kick-starting his Erste Bank Open campaign on Monday night in Vienna.

The No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings eased past home #NextGenATP wild card Joel Schwaerzler 6-2, 6-2 at the indoor hard-court ATP 500. With his 67-minute victory, Zverev equalled his personal best of 60 tour-level wins in a season from 2018.

Top seed Zverev did not face a break point in his maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head clash with the 18-year-old Schwaerzler. He won 96 per cent (23/24) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats, and generally proved too powerful for his relatively inexperienced opponent. After match point, Zverev took a moment at the net to speak with Schwaerzler, who was playing just his second ATP Tour match.

Ruthless Sascha ?

Win No. 6⃣0⃣ in 2024 for the top seed this week in Vienna as he defeats Schwaerzler 6-2 6-2 #ErsteBankOpen | @ErsteBankOpen | ? e|motion/Bildagentur Zolles KG/Christian Hofer pic.twitter.com/AQJK8j13Jy

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 21, 2024 “When you come to your home tournament and probably the biggest crowd you have played in front of, as an 18-year-old and you’re playing the World No. 3, it’s not the easiest thing in the world," said Zverev. "I’ve been there. I did that as a 17-year-old in Hamburg, where I got to the semi-finals and all of a sudden had a sold out stadium and was playing against a certain David Ferrer.

"I was hoping to have a good match, but the match was over half an hour later and I won one game. I know exactly how [Schwaerzler] feels. It’s not an easy situation to be in, but he’s a wonderful player and he’s going to have a wonderful career. Nobody should judge him by this match.”

#NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils extended his winning streak to 11 matches at ATP 500 events on Monday at the Swiss Indoors Basel, where he defeated German Daniel Altmaier 7-6(5), 6-3.

Fils has been in red-hot form at ATP 500 tournaments recently, triumphing on clay in Hamburg before lifting the trophy on hard in Tokyo.

Aiming for another deep run this week, the 20-year-old saved two set points in the first set against Altmaier before he rallied from a break down in the second set to reach the second round in one hour and 40 minutes.

Fils, currently first in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah and set to qualify for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, will next play Jiri Lehecka or Pedro Martinez.

MAGNIFIQUE FILS ?#SwissIndoorsBasel | @ArthurFils1 pic.twitter.com/ROdQDXN6JP

Matteo Berrettini bounced back from a disappointing early exit in Stockholm by producing a dominant performance at the Erste Bank Open on Monday when he moved past Marton Fucsovics 7-5, 6-4 in Vienna.

The Italian, who fell to Dominic Stricker in the second round in Stockholm, did not face a break point against Fucsovics, winning 86 per cent (32/37) of his first-serve points according to Infosys ATP Stats to advance to the second round after one hour and 48 minutes.

“I think it was a really good match. I served really well and I always like to play here,” Berrettini told ATPTour.com. “I was really pumped before coming here and I’m thrilled to be in the second round. I know it’s a tough tournament, but I love to be here. The crowd is great, the court is really nice and I like the conditions, so I’m looking forward to the next match.”

Berrettini, a three-time tour-level titlist in 2024, is making his third appearance at the ATP 500. The No. 41 player in the PIF ATP Rankings reached the semi-finals in 2019 and the quarter-finals in 2021. Aiming for another deep run at the indoor hard tournament, Berrettini will next meet fifth seed Frances Tiafoe or Cameron Norrie.

[ATP APP]

Earlier, Flavio Cobolli improved to 21-5 in opening-round matches in 2024 with a 7-6(1), 6-3 victory against Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Focusing on consistency in tennis is one of the most crucial elements for long-term success, especially if you want to outlast opponents in rallies and reduce unforced errors. Here are some strategies and tips to help you improve consistency in your game: 1. Prioritize Depth Over PowerAim deep: Consistent, deep shots push your opponent back and red...

The PIF ATP Live Race To Turin intensified during a three-tournament week on the ATP Tour, where Tommy Paul, Roberto Bautista Agut and Karen Khachanov won titles in Stockholm, Antwerp and Almaty, respectively.

With three weeks to go until the Nitto ATP Finals, ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin as of Monday, 21 October.

[ATP APP]

Tommy Paul – 10th (3,135 points)
The American has jumped one spot to 10th after he won his third tour-level title of the season in Stockholm, gaining 250 points in his quest to compete in Turin. Paul did not drop a set en route to the title at the hard-court event to close to 485 points on eighth-placed Andrey Rublev, who occupies the final qualification spot.

View PIF ATP Live Race To Turin

Alex de Minaur – Ninth (3,355 points)
De Minaur reached the quarter-finals in Antwerp, where he competed for the first time since the US Open in September. The Australian has struggled with a hip injury since Wimbledon but now fit again, will hope to make a last-minute push for Turin. The 25-year-old takes to court at the ATP 500 event in Vienna this week.

The PIF ATP Live Race To Turin continues to heat up with three weeks remaining for players to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. With two ATP 500 events this week, the Swiss Indoors Basel and Erste Bank Open, contenders for the season finale have an opportunity to earn vital points.

Seventh-placed Casper Ruud and eighth-placed Andrey Rublev will both try to shore up their standing this week when they compete in Basel. Ruud is 225 points ahead of Rublev, who owns a 265-point edge over ninth-placed Alex de Minaur.

“When you’re in this position, you think about [the Nitto ATP Finals] quite a lot, of course,” Ruud said in Basel. “It’s a fun chase and it’s exciting… It’s good to have something to really motivate yourself with.”

PIF ATP Live Race To Turin (as of 20 October)

Player	Points
7) Casper Ruud	3,845
8) Andrey Rublev	3,620
9) Alex de Minaur	3,355
10) Tommy Paul	3,135
11) Grigor Dimitrov	3,100
12) Stefanos Tsitsipas	2,875

Ruud last qualified for the Nitto ATP Finals in 2022, when he advanced to the championship match (lost to Novak Djokovic). The Norwegian is in good position to earn his place in the season finale for the third time and can further improve his chances with a strong performance in Switzerland.

Countries participating in the 2025 United Cup have been placed into their groups and assigned to host cities in Perth and Sydney following today's draw in Sydney.

Perth

A	C	E
USA	Greece	China
Canada	Kazakhstan	Germany
Combined #2	Spain	Brazil

Sydney

B	D	F
Poland	Italy	Great Britain
Czechia	France	Australia
Norway	Switzerland	Combined #1

The schedule will be released Tuesday in Australia, when tickets for the group stage in Perth and Sydney go on sale at 5:00 p.m. local time in the respective cities.

Host nation Australia was drawn in Group F in Sydney alongside Great Britain, pitting Aussie No. 1 Alex De Minaur against his girlfriend Katie Boulter. Group F will also feature one of two teams to be announced in late November. Also in Sydney, Poland headlines Group B with Iga Swiatek and Hubert Hurkacz (pictured above). Italy headlines Group D with Jasmine Paoline and Flavio Cobolli.

The celebration of Dominic Thiem's storied career has begun at the Erste Bank Open.

The former No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings was honoured on a special 'Super Sunday' at the indoor hard-court ATP 500 in Vienna. After Thiem played an exhibition set against Alexander Zverev — the man he defeated to win his only major title at the 2020 US Open — a host of tennis and other sporting icons gathered to pay tribute to the retiring star.

“It was an incredible journey. You were the most important ones, opponents and friends and it was always a pleasure to be with you,” said Thiem after walking through a guard of honour that included his ATP Tour rivals Frances Tiafoe, Matteo Berrettini and Jack Draper, as well as his former coach Nicolas Massu and Germans Boris Becker, Tommy Haas and Matthias Bachinger. “It means so much to me that you were there today.”

Things we love to see ?#DankeDomi | @ErsteBankOpen pic.twitter.com/Rzvtm4RX51

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 20, 2024

Thiem is a huge star in Austria and has been a highly popular presence on the ATP Tour with fans and fellow players alike since he turned pro in 2011. He lifted 17 tour-level trophies before his career was disrupted by a serious wrist injury in 2021. Although he returned to competing in 2022, he was unable to rediscover his best form and announced in May that 2024 would be his final season on Tour.

Thiem still has one final ATP Tour event to play before he hangs up his racquet. The 31-year-old will take on Luciano Darderi in the first-round in Vienna, where he lifted the title in 2019.

Top seed Alexander Zverev and Matteo Berrettini are among the stars headlining action on Monday at the Erste Bank Open.

Zverev will be aiming to reignite the form that drove him to success in the Austrian capital in 2021 when he gets his 2024 campaign underway against #NextGenATP wild card Joel Schwaerzler. Berrettini eyes a fourth ATP Tour title of the year and faces qualifier Marton Fucsovics in his opener.

View the full Monday order of play below to see who is competing, on which court, and when they are scheduled.

[ATP APP]

ORDER OF PLAY - MONDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2024
Center Court - start at 2pm 
Flavio Cobolli (ITA) vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
[Q] Marton Fucsovics vs Matteo Berrettini (ITA)

The Swiss Indoors Basel main draw begins Monday, with some of the world's biggest stars in action. Among those on the order of player are top seed Andrey Rublev and surging #NextGenATP Frenchman Arthur Fils.

View the full Monday order of play below to see who is competing, on which court, and when they are scheduled.

[ATP APP]

ORDER OF PLAY - MONDAY, 21 OCTOBER 2024

Centre Court - start 2 p.m.
[5] Ugo Humbert (FRA) vs [Q] Jerome Kym (SUI)
[Q] Daniel Altmaier (GER) vs [7] Arthur Fils (FRA)

Starts At 6:30 p.m.
Opening Ceremony

“Thank you”, Toni Nadal wrote on Instagram when his nephew Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from professional tennis on 10 October. One week later, the Spanish coach provided a more in-depth reaction with a three-page post full of emotional messages for the 22-time Grand Slam champion.

“There are athletes who, thanks to their huge ability, have managed to become greats in their discipline. Some of them have managed to grow or even transcend their sport, and just a few, because of their attitude and the way they operate, have transcended sport itself and become role models for society,” said Toni in the post.

“I think, without fear of speaking out of turn, and openly accepting any criticism that may come my way after saying this as his uncle, that my nephew, just like his biggest rival for many years, Roger Federer, forms part of the latter category.”

Toni, who coached Rafa from childhood and on the ATP Tour until 2017, is in no doubt about his reasons for his statement. The main one is that his 38-year-old nephew, apart from so much sporting success, has inspired millions of people to never give up, no matter the obstacles in the way.

“Today I can emphatically state that Rafael has fulfilled his promise to me a few years ago in a conversation we had at a club,” said Toni. “I told him that a well-known ex-player had admitted to me how unsatisfied he was with his tennis career. What he sincerely regretted, rather than not winning more titles, was his lack of perseverance.

Roberto Bautista Agut returned to the winners' circle on the ATP Tour for the first time since 2022 with a ruthless showing in Sunday’s championship match at the European Open in Antwerp.

The 36-year-old defeated Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-1 to become the second-oldest tour-level champion this year (Djokovic, 37, Paris Olympics). Bautista Agut produced an imperious display of serving in the first set and showed his trademark grit to outlast the Czech in many of the longer exchanges in the second, sealing victory in one hour, 15 minutes.

“This one is very special,” said Bautista Agut, who improved to 12-11 in tour-level finals. “I broke my foot last year and I had to fight so hard this year. I went back to 120 in the world, but I was still going to practice with a smile on my face, trying to be a better player, to fight until the end of my career. I think I deserved a week like this.”

The moment @BautistaAgut captured the title ?✨@EuroTennisOpen | #EuropeanOpen pic.twitter.com/P1gjzFik8R

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 20, 2024

Having been forced to go through qualifying at nine tournaments this year, Bautista Agut struggled to make many inroads in tournaments. However, this week in Antwerp, the Spaniard ignited some of his most steely tennis to claim a first indoor title since 2016.

Tommy Paul won his first ATP Tour title in Stockholm in 2021 and on Sunday the American became a champion at the ATP 250 event again.

Fourth seed Paul defeated third seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 in the BNP Paribas Nordic Open final to claim his third ATP Tour title of the season. The American did not lose a set all week and lifted the trophy after one hour and 25 minutes.

“I feel like every match I played a little bit better and better,” Paul said. “Today I came out playing amazing, so I was definitely happy with the performance.”

2X CHAMPION IN STOCKHOLM ??@TommyPaul | @sthlm_open | #bnpparibasnordicopen pic.twitter.com/RKH0KYIbDt

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 20, 2024

It was a critical win for the 27-year-old’s Nitto ATP Finals dreams. The American is trying to qualify for the season finale for the first time and by claiming the crown in Stockholm ascended to 10th in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, passing Dimitrov by beating the Bulgarian in the championship match.

Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten took a strong step towards securing their qualification for the Nitto ATP Finals after capturing their fourth tour-level title of the season at the BNP Paribas Nordic Open.

The top seeds exuded confidence throughout the week in Stockholm, underpinned by a commanding 7-5, 6-3 triumph against Czechs Patrik Rikl and Petr Nouza in Sunday’s championship match.

[ATP APP]

“For me, it’s pretty much a home tournament, it’s the closest one we can come to,” said Heliovaara, who is from Finland. “It also felt special because I got to share it with my three-year-old daughter, who has been here all week.”

“It’s probably my second favourite place to play in,” added Patten. “I came to Stockholm for the first time last year and I was desperate to come back, it’s such a pleasure to play here.”

With titles in Marrakech, Lyon, Wimbledon, and Stockholm, Patten/Heliovaara currently occupy eighth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, 592 points ahead of ninth-placed Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow. After joining forces in April, the British-Finnish duo is aiming to make its debut appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

The season is coming to a thrilling climax, with the best players in the world trying to earn their place at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin. The chase continues this week at ATP 500 events in Basel and Vienna, where plenty of points are up for grabs.

Andrey Rublev is the top seed at the Swiss Indoors Basel and Alexander Zverev is the top seed at the Erste Bank Open. It will be an emotional week in Vienna, where home hero Dominic Thiem will retire after a standout career in which he reached No. 3 in the PIF ATP Rankings and won the 2020 US Open.

ATPTour.com looks at five things to watch at each tournament. 

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN BASEL
1) Rublev Leads The Way: The top seed in Basel is Andrey Rublev, who is competing in the tournament for the first time. Every match, beginning with his opener against Portuguese Nuno Borges, is key for the 26-year-old. Rublev is eighth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin and attempting to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the fifth consecutive season.

 

Karen Khachanov was forced to take the scenic route on Sunday, but did so in dramatic fashion to clinch his seventh ATP Tour title at the Almaty Open.

In a pendulum-swinging contest, the third seed resisted a late fightback to defeat Gabriel Diallo 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Khachanov appeared to have one hand on the trophy when he led by a set and a break, but Diallo mustered some gutsy tennis to level the contest from the brink of defeat and ignite hopes of a comeback.

“A lot of emotions, now I’m relieved and super happy,” said Khachanov, who improved to 7-2 in tour-level finals. “You can’t expect a final to be easy, without tension, but it was until 6-2, 4-2. Then he started to relax, go for his shots a little bit more, and he suddenly turned the match around.”

Almighty in Almaty ?@ktf_kz | #AlmatyOpen | @karenkhachanov pic.twitter.com/yvrsyK2XUx

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 20, 2024

Diallo, who was bidding to win his maiden ATP Tour title, is up to a career-high of No. 87 in the Live PIF ATP Rankings after a career-best week in Almaty. The 23-year-old showed grit to go toe-to-toe with the World No. 26, but ultimately faltered in a one-sided decider.