By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday October 25, 2021
Italy’s Matteo Berrettini has qualified for the ATP Finals for a second consecutive year. The 25-year-old Italian, this year’s Wimbedon runner-up, booked his spot on the strength of a straight-sets win over Alexei Popyrin on Monday at Vienna, and becomes the sixth ATP player to qualify.
Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Rublev and Berrettini await two other players in the eight-player singles field for the event, which will take place in Turin for the first time, from November 14-21.
Currently Casper Ruud and Hubert Hurkacz are in line for the seventh and eighth spots, but heavy competition could come from the likes of Jannik Sinner and Cameron Norrie, with Vienna and next week’s Paris Masters still to be held.
"My words aren't going to describe the happiness I feel in my heart," said Berrettini. "2020 was a tough year for me on and off the court. Here I am about to play my second [Nitto ATP] Finals and I can't believe it. I always have to remember where I started. I didn't dream about this, because it was so big, but now it's happening. I want to do my best.”
Berrettini enters this week at a career-high ranking of No.7 in the world, which makes him the highest-ranked Italian player since Corrado Barazzutti in 1978. He improved to 40-10 with Monday’s win over Popyrin and will face Nikoloz Basilashvili in second-round action at Vienna.
Race for Final Two Spots Heats Up in Vienna
With Hubert Hurkacz falling to Andy Murray on Monday in Vienna, the door is open for Sinner and/or Norrie to make a push. Sinner, last week’s Antwerp champion, faced Reilly Opelka in first-round action in Vienna on Wednesday. Norrie, in the midst of a career year, faces Marton Fucsovics in his first match at Vienna on Tuesday.
Casper Ruud, currently seventh in the race, will face South Africa’s Lloyd Harris on Tuesday in Vienna. Here is how the race shapes up between the No.7 and No.10-ranked players:
7. Casper Ruud, 3015 points
8. Hubert Hurkacz, 2955 points
9. Janik Sinner, 2845 points
10. Cameron Norrie, 2795 points