At the start of the Erste Bank Open, six ATP Finals hopefuls featured in the draw. With three spots left, this is how the race to Turin looked going into Vienna:
Matteo Berrettini: 4,000 points
Casper Ruud: 3,015 points
Rafael Nadal: 2,985 points(out for season)
Hubert Hurkacz: 2,955 points
Jannik Sinner: 2,845 points
Cameron Norrie: 2,840 points
Felix Auger-Aliassime: 2,330 points
Third seed Berrettini clinched the sixth berth to Turin by virtue of winning his opener, 7-6 (3), 6-3, over qualifier Alexei Popyrin.
The fourth-seeded Ruud outclassed Lloyd Harris and Lorenzo Sonego prior to exiting in the quarterfinals.
… the man behind him, Hurkacz, saw his ATP Finals hopes jeopardized. Two-time Vienna champ Andy Murray avoided losing to the Pole for the third time this year by prevailing in three sets.
With Hurkacz out, two players were in contention to surpass him with semifinal runs. Incoming Antwerp champion Sinner capitalized, after brushing aside Reilly Opelka, Dennis Novak and Ruud, to overtake the Pole for No. 8. Sinner could have vaulted past Ruud at No. 7 had he closed out Frances Tiafoe in the semifinals.
The other was Norrie. The Indian Wells titlist however, was edged out by Auger-Aliassime after failing to convert three match points. Auger-Aliassime went down to Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, further dampening his outside shot of sneaking into the Turin conversation.
With Berrettini punching his ticket, this year's ATP Finals lineup features six competitors who've previously appeared at the season finale (barring any withdrawals). Four are former champions, including defending title holder Daniil Medvedev and five-time winner Novak Djokovic.