It’s an important week of tennis, with two 500-point tournaments on the schedule and five places in the Nitto ATP Finals still available. Only one spot is really up for grabs, barring any withdrawals from Turin or some very surprising results over the next few weeks in Vienna, Basel and Paris. However, that one place is suddenly quite intriguing, after Felix Auger-Aliassime’s title in Brussels. The Canadian is now within 340 points of Lorenzo Musetti, with both boys taking to the court this week looking for a maximum of 500 points.
Auger-Aliassime is part of a Basel field that also includes Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Casper Ruud, Jiri Lehecka and defending champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Musetti will be joined in Vienna by Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Alex de Minaur, Alexander Bublik and Almaty champion Daniil Medvedev.
First bank opened
Where: Vienna, Austria
Surface: Difficult inside
Points: 500
Prize money: 2,736,875 euros
Top seed: Jannik Sinner
2024 champion: Jack Draper (not playing)
Drawing analysis: Sinner is coming off his second straight victory at the Six Kings Slam, where he didn’t have to use much energy to pocket $6 million. The world number 2 got an opening victory and then made quick work of both Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner will be well rested for Vienna, which is as close as he gets to a home tournament outside Italy. However, there are no easy draws, even for the top seeds. He could face Tomas Machac in the second round, Bublik in the quarter-finals and De Minaur or Andrey Rublev in the semi-finals.
On the other side of the circuit, Zverev and Medvedev are on a collision course for the final four. With Medvedev fresh off a long-awaited title and having the recent head-to-head series against Zverev in his possession, the Russian would love his chances in that match. Of course, a whole host of other players such as Musetti, Karen Khachanov, Tallon Greekpoor, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Corentin Moutet will be planning to make a deep run in Vienna.
Is called: Jannik Sinner, Alex de Minaur, Lorenzo Musetti, Daniil Medvedev, Luciano Darderi, Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Corentin Moutet, Alejandro Tabilo
Cold: Andrei Rublev, Aleksandar Kovacevic, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, Alexei Popyrin
Quarter-final predictions: Jannik Sinner on Francisco Cerundolo, Alex de Minaur on Matteo Berrettini, Daniil Medvedev on Lorenzo Musetti and Alexander Zverev on Brandon Nakashima
Semi-finals: Anger at De Minaur and Medvedev at Zverev
Final: Anger at Medvedev
Swiss Indoors Basel
Where: Basel, Switzerland
Surface: Difficult inside
Prize money: 2,523,045 euros
Points: 500
Top seed: Taylor Fritz
Defending champion: Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard
Drawing analysis: After their surreal performances at the Shanghai Masters and a head-to-head showdown between cousins ​​in the final, Valentin Vacherot and Arthur Rinderknech are back in action in Basel. One last encounter is possible on different sides of the bracket. But of course don’t count on it. Vacherot drew Fritz in the opening round, while Rinderknech goes head-to-head against an in-form Raphael Collignon before potentially meeting 2024 champion Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in round two.
This title is completely up for grabs. No. 2 seed Ben Shelton is recovering after a shoulder injury, while Auger-Aliassime, Ruud and Lehecka could all be somewhat fatigued after playing the final on Sunday. Furthermore, the unseeded contingent is incredibly deep: it includes Vacherot, Rinderknech, Mpetshi Perricard, Joao Fonseca, Gabriel Diallo, Sebastian Korda and Stockholm runner-up Ugo Humbert. Auger-Aliassime versus Diallo, Mpetshi Perricard versus Fonseca and Humbert versus Korda are especially intriguing first-round matches.
Is called: Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Jiri Lehecka, Kamil Majchrzak, Raphael Collignon, Arthur Rinderknech, Valentin Vacherot
Cold: Jakub Mensik, David Goffin, Lorenzo Sonego, Stan Wawrinka, Botic van de Zandschulp
Quarter-final predictions: Jiri Lehecka on ugo Humbert, Aljandro Davidovich Fokina on Casper Ruduud, Giovani MPetshi Perricad on Raphael Collignon and Felix Auger-Aliiassime on jaum munar
Semi-finals: Davidovich Fokina on Lehecka and Mpetshi Perricard on Auger-Aliassime
Final: Davidovich Fokina about Mpetshi Perricard
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