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The men of the ATP can begin to see the 2019 finish line looming in the distance. This week their year-end run through Europe will kick into a higher gear at two 500-level events in Vienna and Basel. The latter will feature the return of Roger Federer, but between them the two tournaments will have half a dozen players vying to reach the tour’s year-end championships in London.

Basel, Switzerland

$2,500,000; 500 ranking points

Indoor hard court

Draw is here

By now, Federer and Basel are virtually synonymous. This is the Swiss legend’s hometown; he was a ball boy at the event as a kid; and as an adult he has won it nine times.

Can Federer make it an even 10 at home? He’ll probably encounter his share of obstacles. Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, the No. 2 and 3 seeds, have looked sharp so far this fall. The next three seeds, Roberto Bautista Agut, Fabio Fognini, and David Goffin, are ninth, 10th, and 11th in the race to London, respectively, and need to leap into the Top 8 to qualify. And the seventh seed here is Stan Wawrinka, who will garner his own home-country love through the week. Federer and Wawrinka, old friends and Davis Cup teammates, look set to collide in the third round.

First-round match to watch: Alexander Zverev vs. Taylor Fritz

Week in Preview: Federer tries for 10th title in Basel

Week in Preview: Federer tries for 10th title in Basel

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Vienna

$2,800,000; 500 ranking points

Rebound Ace

Draw is here

Vienna doesn’t have Federer, but it does have a group of players looking to make it to London, and who could really use the 500 ranking points that go to the champion here. Dominic Thiem, the top seed and native son, has already qualified, but Nos. 2–4, Karen Khachanov, Matteo Berrettini, and Gael Monfils, are all on the bubble. A poor showing this week and they could find themselves slipping off it.

First-round matches to watch:

Dominic Thiem vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Andrey Rublev vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime

Wild card to watch: Jannik Sinner. The 18-year-old Italian reached the semis this past week in Antwerp. He’ll start against Philipp Kohlschreiber in Vienna.

Zhuhai, China

$2,419,844; Finals

Hard court

Score one for logic. In past years, the WTA Elite Trophy has been held the week after the tour’s season-ending Finals. This strange arrangement only served to undermine the significance of the Finals, and make the Elite Trophy feel like overkill. Now the 12-woman round-robin event has been moved up a week, where it can serve a more useful function as a warm-up competition before the big dance in Shenzhen.

Week in Preview: Federer tries for 10th title in Basel

Week in Preview: Federer tries for 10th title in Basel