In a gripping second-round match at the Erste Bank Open in Vienna, third-seeded Russian Andrey Rublev secured his spot in the year-end Nitto ATP Finals with a commanding 7-5, 6-3 victory over Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi.
Rublev’s performance was marked by 21 winners and a mere six unforced errors, showcasing his prowess on the court. This win marks his fourth consecutive qualification for the prestigious Nitto Finals, an impressive feat in his career. On the other side of the net, Arnaldi delivered 19 winners but grappled with 11 unforced errors.
Russian tennis sensation Daniil Medvedev, the top seed, and the second-seeded Italian Jannik Sinner had previously booked their places in the Nitto Finals. Medvedev faced a tough challenge in Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, ultimately prevailing with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 victory. Meanwhile, Sinner showcased his skills in a match against fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego, winning 6-2, 6-4.
Croatian wildcard Borna Gojo surprised the crowd with an impressive performance, amassing 22 winners and limiting himself to just five unforced errors. He overcame the sixth-seeded American Tommy Paul with a 6-3, 6-4 victory.
The fourth-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas engaged in a thrilling battle with Czech qualifier Tomas Machac, ultimately emerging victorious with a scoreline of 6-3, 4-6, 7-5. The seventh-seeded Frances Tiafoe displayed resilience and determination as he rallied for a hard-fought win against France’s Gael Monfils, triumphing 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.
Meanwhile, at the Swiss Indoors Basel, the tennis world witnessed a series of upsets in the second round. Local talent Dominic Stricker, with 13 aces to his name, claimed a significant victory over second-seeded Casper Ruud of Norway with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (1).
Russian qualifier Alexander Shevchenko impressed with 40 winners and a remarkable control of unforced errors in his intense battle against third-seeded Taylor Fritz, securing a 6-7 (7), 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) victory.
Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor demonstrated his dominance on the court by dispatching Australia’s Alex de Minaur, the fifth seed, in a swift match that lasted just 84 minutes. The final scoreline was 6-4, 6-3 in Griekspoor’s favor.
France’s Ugo Humbert added to the day of upsets with a solid performance, prevailing over Chile’s Nicolas Jarry with a score of 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4).
Other notable results from the Swiss Indoors Basel include a victorious outing for the top-seeded Holger Rune of Denmark, who defeated Argentina’s Sebastian Baez with a score of 7-6 (2), 6-1. Sixth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada delivered a dominant performance against Dutch qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp, securing a 6-4, 6-2 victory.
These thrilling matches and unexpected outcomes continue to captivate tennis enthusiasts as the world’s top players battle for supremacy in these prestigious tournaments.
