Emirates ATP Rankings Update: Four O2 spots remain, three events to go

Editor's Note: Shortly after this story was published, Grigor Dimitrov pulled out of Vienna.

Just three tournaments remain before the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals in London's O2 Arena, and half of the exclusive, eight-player field remains unaccounted for.

Not that players haven't been stating their cases with resume-bolstering performances over the past few weeks. Grigor Dimitrov, in fifth place with 3,560 points, has turned the page on a disappointing US Open with runs to the semifinals of Beijing, the quarterfinals of Shanghai and, just yesterday, a final-round appearance in Stockholm. If the 26-year-old Bulgarian can reach the semifinals in Vienna, he’ll qualify for the tour finale for the first time.

Then there’s Marin Cilic, in sixth place with 3,535 points. Like Dimitrov, Cilic only needs to reach the semifinals this week—in Basel, rather than Vienna—to qualify for London. And like Dimitrov, Cilic has played some outstanding tennis since Flushing Meadows, where he was ousted in the third round. The Croat made it to the semis in Tokyo and the semis in Shanghai; a third post-Open semi would be a charm, indeed.

The paths for Dimitrov and Cilic to join the four men who have already secured spots at the Nitto ATP Finals—Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem—are clear. It gets a little muddier after that. Here’s who remains in contention, and what they'll be dealing with this week:

David Goffin (seventh place, 2,750 points): third seed in Basel; will face Peter Gojowczyk in round of 32.

Pablo Carreno Busta (eighth place, 2,605 points): fourth seed in Vienna; will face Guido Pella in round of 32. He’s also playing doubles.

Sam Querrey (ninth place, 2,525 points): sixth seed in Vienna; will face Albert Ramos-Vinolas in round of 32. He’s also playing doubles.

Kevin Anderson (10th place, 2,470 points): seventh seed in Vienna; will face Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in round of 32.

Then there’s Juan Martin del Potro (11th place—if you take the injured Andy Murray out of the picture—2,135 points) and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12th place, 2,055 points). Last week’s champions in Stockholm and Antwerp, respectively, are now within 600 points of Carreno Busta and suddenly back in the London picture. Del Potro will face Joao Sousa in Basel; Tsonga will face Karen Khachanov in Vienna.

Interestingly, Carreno Busta, Querrey, Anderson and Tsonga are each in different quarters in Vienna; the American could meet Dimitrov in the quarterfinals. In Basel, del Potro and Goffin could only meet in the final; the Argentine could meet Cilic in the semifinals.

Both Basel and Vienna will award 500 ranking points to the champion, 300 points to the runner-up, 180 points for semifinalists, 90 points for quarterfinalists, 45 points for players who lose in the second round and 20 points for players who lose in the round of 32.