HIGHLIGHTS: Kevin Anderson d. Kei Nishikori in Vienna final

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Kevin Anderson's first ATP 500 title in Vienna secured the South African a spot in the ATP Finals for the first time, while Vienna finalist Kei Nishikori also jumped into contention for a berth in the eight-player field.

Anderson is the sixth player to qualify for the season-ending tournament in London, with two spots still up for grabs—or three, if the injured Juan Martin del Potro chooses to withdraw. The four players who are significant contenders for those remaining spots are Marin Cilic, Dominic Thiem, Nishikori and John Isner, who are all within 805 ranking points of each other.

All four are playing this week's Paris Masters, which gives 1,000 points to the winner, and each is in a different quarter of the draw.

**Marin Cilic: 3,870 points

Dominic Thiem: 3,535 points

Kei Nishikori: 3,210 points

John Isner: 3,065 points

Borna Coric: 2,390 points

Fabio Fognini: 2,225 points**

Isner would have to reach at least the quarterfinals of Paris and go a round further than Nishikori to move in front of him in the standings, and would need to reach at least a final to get any higher, even if Thiem exits in the opening round at Paris.

Two other players, BornaCoric and Fabio Fognini, could also move into the ninth spot by winning Paris.

Del Potro, who withdrew from Paris with a fractured kneecap, plans to decide in the next few days whether he will play in London.

The top eight players qualify for the round-robin event, with alternates consisting of the next two highest-ranked players.

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Anderson into ATP Finals; Nishikori, Cilic, Thiem, Isner vie for spots

Anderson into ATP Finals; Nishikori, Cilic, Thiem, Isner vie for spots

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