How Rublev Can Move To The Turin Doorstep

Andrey Rublev cannot qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals during the Rolex Shanghai Masters, but he can put himself on the doorstep of Turin. 

The highest-seeded player remaining in the ATP Masters 1000 draw, Rublev has a big opportunity to move closer to securing his fourth appearance at the season finale, which will be played from 12-19 November at the Pala Alpitour in Turin.

The 25-year-old began the tournament 105 points ahead of sixth-placed Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin. By the end of the event, he would hold a 1,060-point lead over the Greek should he win the title.

Pepperstone ATP Live Race To Turin Standings

Players	Points
5) Andrey Rublev	3,855
6) Stefanos Tsitsipas	3,615
7) Alexander Zverev	3,415
8) Holger Rune	3,110
9) Taylor Fritz	2,875
10) Casper Ruud	2,795

The players currently between sixth and 14th in the Live Race all lost before the quarter-finals in Shanghai and only two members of that group — 10th-placed Casper Ruud and 11th-placed Tommy Paul — reached the Round of 16.

Instead of players breathing down Rublev's neck in the Live Race, he has a chance to surge well ahead of the chasing pack. Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner have already qualified for the year-end championships. Rublev is next in line.

Confident & Clinical 👊

Important point from @rublev on his way to getting the better of Paul 7-5, 7-5 to reach the Quarter-finals in Shanghai!#RolexShanghaiMasters | @SH_RolexMasters pic.twitter.com/Afq0Q3ikYJ

— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 11, 2023

The 14-time ATP Tour titlist also has an opportunity in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. If he wins the title — which would mark his second Masters 1000 trophy of the season — he would climb to a career-high World No. 4.

Back to the Live Race... of the players remaining, 2021 Turin competitor Hubert Hurkacz has the best chance of moving into qualification contention. Currently in 11th place, the Polish star can ascend as high as 11th by triumphing in Shanghai. That would put him just 335 points behind eighth-placed Holger Rune.

Just more than four weeks remain until the Nitto ATP Finals.

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from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/IZF14is