Published on October 22, 2024 at 11:10 p.m. – updated on October 23, 2024 at 12:03 a.m.
Even if they have a tiny chance of qualifying for the Turin Masters, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Holger Rune took valuable points this Tuesday by reaching the round of 16 in Basel.
There are only four places left to take for the Turin Masters, and the players who are still mathematically qualified will give their all, this week in Basel and Vienna (500 points to take) and next week at the Rolex Paris Masters (1000 points) to try to secure their place in the Top 8. This is particularly the case of Stefanos Tsitsipas, 12th in the Race, who will attempt the hold-up by qualifying for Turin despite a very difficult season. For his entry into the running in Basel, the Greek was opposed to Francesco Cerundolo (30th), and he suffered for 2h33, before winning 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 at the end of the suspense. After winning the first set thanks to a break at 1-0, Tsitsipas led 4-2 40-15 in the second and perhaps thought he was heading for an easy victory, but the Argentinian held on, equalized at 4-4 before pocketing the set in the tie-break (7-3). It was therefore necessary to play a third set, where the Greek scared himself by having to save three break points at 3-3, then another at 4-4. Finally broken at 5-5, he pulled away to break immediately (6-6) and win 7-4 in the tie-break, winning the last five points. A victory with forceps which will do good for the morale of the Greek, opposed in the eighth to Botic van de Zandschulp.
Solid Rune and Shelton
Holger Rune, for his part, is 15th in the Race after his 6-4, 7-6 success in 1h26 against Nicolas Jarry. The Dane, author of 9 aces, did not have the slightest break point to defend during this match. A single break was enough for him, in the first game of the match, to win and challenge Dominic Stricker in the next round. Finally, the American Ben Shelton, 21st in the Race, defeated Tomas Etcheverry without much trembling with a score of 6-3, 6-4 in 1h14. Author of 8 aces, he was never broken during this match, where he took the Argentinian’s service at 3-2 in the first set and 2-2 in the second. Next opponent: Adrian Mannarino or Stan Wawrinka.
The race for the Turin Masters
1- Jannik Sinner (ITA) >>> QUALIFIED
2- Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) >>> QUALIFIED
3- Alexander Zverev (GER) >>> QUALIFIED
4- Daniil Medvedev (RUS) >>> QUALIFIED
5- Taylor Fritz (USA), 4290 points
6- Novak Djokovic (SER), 3910
7- Casper Ruud (NOR), 3845
8- Andrey Rublev (RUS), 3660
9- Alex De Minaur (AUS), 3395
10- Tommy Paul (USA), 3135
11- Grigor Dimitrov (BUL), 3100
12- Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE), 2915
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