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Denis Shapovalov continued his dominant Belgrade Open run on Friday to advance to his first ATP Tour final since his Vienna runner-up finish in October 2022. The Canadian qualifier eased to a 6-2, 6-1 victory against fourth seed Jiri Lehecka to advance to his seventh tour-level final and his fifth on indoor hard courts.

The 25-year-old has lost just one set and one break point in his four main-draw victories this week. With an aggressive game plan in the semi-finals, he did not allow Lehecka a break chance, winning 96 per cent (25/26) of his first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

"Against a guy like Jiri, if you don't go after him, he's going to dictate the court," Shapovalov said after spoiling the Czech's 23rd birthday. "So for sure I was trying to play my game, play aggressive, really take it to him from the beginning."

Up 17 places to No. 61 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings this week, Shapovalov will move to the brink of the Top 50 if he can beat home favourite Hamad Medjedovic in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head matchup in Saturday's final. The Canadian will be playing for his second ATP Tour title (Stockholm 2019).

... and then there were ✌️#BelgradeOpen pic.twitter.com/mrTjBAWLEW

Is Alexander Zverev poised for a Nitto ATP Finals hat trick?

The German, who triumphed at the season finale in 2018 and 2021, is riding a wave of momentum as he enters this year’s edition on a five-match win streak following his dominant run to the Rolex Paris Masters title. It marked Zverev’s seventh ATP Masters 1000 crown — and his second this season after also claiming the Rome title.

After a successful comeback season in 2023, during which Zverev qualified for Turin, the 27-year-old has now firmly reestablished himself at the sport’s biggest events.

“In 2023, I didn’t feel like I was competitive in big events, I was far away from winning them. Being able to compete and make Grand Slam finals, win Masters 1000 events, that is a big satisfaction to me because there were obviously question marks if I was ever going to do that again after the injury,” Zverev told ATP Media when reflecting on his 2024 season.

“It was the first year where I was competitive again in big events. I’m happy with where I am.”

Cameron Norrie overcame a topsy-turvy and entertaining semi-final battle against Corentin Moutet on Friday to reach the Moselle Open title match.

In a clash between two lefties, the Frenchman Moutet pleaded his home crowd for support and produced superb shotmaking — even serving underarm on several occasions — but it was not enough to stop Norrie from a 6-2, 7-6(5) victory.

The Briton trailed 2/5 in the second-set tie-break before tallying five consecutive points to close the one-hour, 32-minute match, booking a place in his first tour-level final since winning the 2023 Rio de Janeiro crown.

“It’s been a difficult year for me and I was never able to gain any momentum, so it’s nice to finish the last week of the year playing in the final,” said Norrie, who won 75 per cent of his second-serve points, compared to Moutet’s 43 per cent, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “I was just back to competing every point. It’s nice to get my first indoor final as well.”

Following his win, Norrie improved to 2-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series against Moutet, with all three of their matches coming in France.

Andrey Rublev is no stranger to the year-end Nitto ATP Finals, where he is set to compete for the fifth consecutive year. But this season the 27-year-old is entering Turin with a new mindset.

Rublev, placed in the John Newcombe Group alongside a gauntlet of Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud, is embracing a lighter approach and not being weighed down by high expectations.

“In terms of results, only one year [in Turin] when I made the semi-finals [in 2022] was a great week, the rest were tougher. But I hope I learn something out of these years. We’ll see,” Rublev told ATP Media. “At least I’m trying to do a different approach this year. At least I feel more relaxed and that’s the best.

“Out of four times I’ve played, I went to the semi-finals only once. Three times I lost in the group round. So if I lose three or four times, doesn’t change anything.”

Andrey is a man in demand ❤️

✍️ @AndreyRublev97 #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/cSDEJkeevT

After missing the cut in 2023, Casper Ruud is set to return to the 2024 Nitto ATP Finals. The 25-year-old, who made the semi-finals in 2021, and final in 2022 is excited to see how things unfold in Turin.

“Anything can happen, [when] you have the best players in the world,” said Ruud, speaking to ATP Media before the action begins on Sunday.

Set for his third appearance at the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals, Ruud appreciates the opportunity to go head-to-head with the very best in Turin. The No. 6 Ruud, placed in the John Newcombe Group, alongside No. 2 Alexander Zverev, No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz, and No. 8 Andrey Rublev, reflected on his opponents.

“I am going to see an in form player, [has had an] incredible year,” said Ruud, opening up about Zverev, who recently won his seventh ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Paris Masters and climbed to the No. 2 spot in the PIF ATP Rankings. “He is going to be full of confidence, just came from Paris victory. I am going to do my best to somehow stop him.

“[He has a] great serve, beautiful backhand. When he is on also with his forehand, it is really tough to play him. Because you feel like you are getting shot at from both [the] forehand and the backhand. [I will] try to neutralise his game as much as I can, but it is going to be difficult.”

The Nitto ATP Finals commences on Sunday in Turin, with Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev among the eight stars in action.

With hype building in northern Italy, fans will be tuning in from around the world to watch their favourite stars in action. To view the full global TV Schedule for the Nitto ATP Finals, click here.

[NEWSLETTER FORM]

Aged just 21, Carlos Alcaraz is already a four-time major winner and a five-time ATP Masters 1000 champion. The Spaniard has spent 36 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings and clinched the silver medal at the Paris Olympics in July.

However, when it comes to the Nitto ATP Finals, Alcaraz feels he has a point to prove. The 21-year-old missed the 2022 event due to injury before he lost in straight sets to record seven-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals on debut last year.

“Last year was a difficult end of the year for me,” Alcaraz said on Thursday in Turin ahead of the prestigious year-end event. “I could not play at my best. The last two matches here were pretty good matches for me but the previous two, three tournaments I didn’t play at my best, so I realised I had to change a little bit at this time of the year, which I did this year.

“I come here a little bit different. I approach this tournament a little differently, knowing there are things I have to change if I am to have a good result here and go far. Last year I didn’t start well from the first matches. I will try to play the same level and will try to play good tennis. I am coming here with a lot of motivation.”

Caption this ?#NittoATPFinals | @carlosalcaraz pic.twitter.com/vM7t00SxLn

After a 2024 edition lit up by Alexander Zverev’s triumph and a new attendance record of 176,451 spectators, the Rolex Paris Masters turns its attention to Paris La Défense Arena, its new venue from 2025.

The Rolex Paris Masters, the ATP Tour’s annual Masters 1000 event in the French capital, is preparing to write a new chapter in its history by moving to Paris La Défense Arena from next year. From 25 October to 2 November 2025, Europe’s largest indoor arena, with its state-of-the-art facilities, will host the 40th edition of the tournament.

This move is part of the French Tennis Federation’s commitment to expand the Rolex Paris Masters and offer an ultra-modern setting for the tournament’s various stakeholders (players, spectators, media, partners...), while continuing to promote the Parisian Masters 1000, considered the most spectacular on the ATP circuit, both in France and abroad. The new venue will make it possible to set up four competition courts, including a centre court with seating capacity for 16,500, and a practice court. The player areas will also be extended, enhanced and modernised.

In its quest to further improve the spectator experience, the FFT and Paris La Défense Arena will provide optimal conditions to welcome guests. In addition to excellent transport links (by RER, metro, tramway, etc.), the venue will enable optimised crowd-flow management, in particular for ticket holders for evening sessions, thanks to its large, covered reception hall with catering areas and giant screens.

To celebrate the start of this new era, the Rolex Paris Masters is pleased to unveil the tournament's new signature: "Vibrons plus grand" (Unleash the vibe). This captures the event's desire to offer an intense experience to fans and players by sharing the kind of powerful emotions that only a major indoor tournament can guarantee. 

Taylor Fritz has produced fireworks throughout the 2024 season, and now, with the Nitto ATP Finals on the horizon, the American has his sights set on a grand finale.

Having already competed at the prestigious year-end event in 2022, Fritz will look to rely on lessons learned from that year's semi-final run as he aims to become champion of champions.

The 27-year-old’s consistently high level this year, no matter the surface, has proven that he is more than capable.

“If I want to be a top player, I feel like you have to be playing your best tennis at the biggest events, so that was a big positive,” Fritz said when reflecting on his 2024 season.

“I think what I did this year that was a big goal of mine was that I performed my best at the Slams. In previous years, I maybe had one good Slam result throughout the calendar year and then some not so good ones.”

Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, and fellow Nitto ATP Finals competitors have arrived in Turin.

Players were greeted by thousands of fans as they walked the blue carpet at the Piazza Carlo Alberto, one of Turin's most picturesque squares, where a tournament promotion was projected onto the facade of the National Library.

Andrey has entered the building ?#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/wgFJMJaATG

It’s @AlexZverev time ✨ #NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/012oMKHZDS

Taylor came to serve ?#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/QzkRwU6GCS

When Daniil Medvedev finished the 2018 season at a then career-high No. 17 in the PIF ATP Rankings, little did he know that he would continue his climb and embark on a six-year streak competing at the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals.

Medvedev, who went 0-3 in his tournament debut in 2019 followed by a title run in 2020, is a perennial threat to become the champion of champions in Turin. This year is no different.

But the six-year streak has caught even Medvedev by surprise.

“Probably if you asked me in 2018, when I was not there, you’d say, ‘Six times in a row I’m going to be there’, I’d like be, ‘Wow! How? You need to win Masters 1000s, you need to play good at the Slams, and at that time I wasn’t doing it yet, even if I was going up. So I’m pretty happy about it,” Medvedev told ATP Media. “Happy to be here and looking forward.”

Your 2024 Champions. A new era. ?#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/VRWm1BcejT

Season after season, Alex de Minaur has climbed the PIF ATP Rankings. From a Top 30 finish in 2022 to the Top 15 in 2023, the Australian will end 2024 with his first year-end Top 10 finish.

Forever a fighter on court, the Australian has enhanced his physicality, shotmaking and tactical awareness in recent years. His reward? A place at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

“I have just constantly looked at myself in the mirror and tried to find ways to get better,” De Minaur said when asked about his development. “It is what I have done every single year. Continuously trying to improve and get better and have fun ways to get better. It is never to be satisfied. Huge credit to my whole team, all the people around me who push me.

“Things just click. You look and try to find and tweak a few things until you hit the right spot and then the confidence works and it is a great thing when you are playing good tennis and high on confidence.”

Showing out in style ?#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/vh4nXAVnFT

Absence has only made the heart grow fonder for Jannik Sinner.

The Italian is preparing to compete on home soil for the first time in 12 months this week at the Nitto ATP Finals. A year ago, Sinner enjoyed a superb run to the championship match in Turin, roared on by his passionate home fans. He returns as the No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings after a stunning 2024 season, during which one of his few disappointments was missing his home ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome due to injury.

“Many things make [this tournament] special,” Sinner told ATP Media on Thursday in Turin. “First of all, being an Italian and playing in Italy. I haven’t played in Italy this year, because I missed Rome. That was a really tough one, but I am even more excited and happy to be here.

“[My season] is very highly rated. I would have never imaged to win so many things this year. Many things have happened. Thinking back to how everything started in Australia… For me, it’s about always trying to improve as a player, as a person, as a human being. I’m even more proud and happy with how I am evolving. Hopefully next year it will also be this process of improvement.”

Sinner likes speed ⚡️?

'The Flash' aka @janniksin is the hero in town!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/nPygLPGm8f

After a hard-fought season, involving twists and turns, the Nitto ATP Finals commences on Sunday in Turin, where the best eight players this season will battle it out to end the season as the ultimate champion.

Before the serious business commences, the players swapped their racquets for the blue carpet on Thursday evening. The eight stars – Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur, Andrey Rublev – signed autographs before they took to stage at the grand Carignano Theatre in front of an audience of young fans, answering questions on their chances in Turin, their seasons and much more.

“It is very special,” Sinner opened to cheers when asked about playing at home in Turin. “I missed Rome this year which was tough mentally for me. I am very happy to be back here. Last year was a great event and a great atmosphere for everyone. I hope it will be a great event.”

Your 2024 Champions. A new era. ?#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/VRWm1BcejT

Sinner, who received raucous cheers from the audience at the theatre, arrives in Turin as the World No. 1, having lifted majors at the Australian Open and US Open in 2024. Last year, the 23-year-old lit up the Inalpi Arena with his swashbuckling play, but fell one match short of the title, losing to Novak Djokovic in the final.

Cameron Norrie’s trademark resilience and fight is coming to the fore this week at the Moselle Open.

The 29-year-old overcame Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-1 on Thursday to book his spot in a 25th tour-level semi-final. Norrie let slip two match points in the second-set tie-break, but dialled back in to win his third consecutive deciding-set clash.

“It was a really good match, he’s a great player who has had a really good year,” Norrie said of Bergs, who is at a career-high of No. 61 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “It’s a great win for me, I had to fight hard. I really should have had [the match] in that tie-break, but he played bigger than me and took a bit more risk.”

Cam on a mission ?@cam_norrie survives the Bergs test 6-3 6-7(6) 6-1 to reach his 25th ATP Tour SF! @MoselleOpen | #MoselleOpen pic.twitter.com/P63X6ikd7F

Norrie's 2024 season was derailed by a forearm injury, but the Briton is showing signs of promise at the indoor hard-court ATP 250 in Metz. With his two-hour, eight-minute win, Norrie is into his first semi-final on hard courts since Auckland 2023. 

After an up and down year, is Hamad Medjedovic ready to wrap 2024 in style at the Belgrade Open?

The home favourite on Thursday eased past third seed Francisco Cerundolo 6-4, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals at the indoor hard-court ATP 250. Medjedovic channelled the support of a raucous crowd in the Serbian capital to register the joint-biggest win of his career against the World No. 29 Cerundolo.

“I think it was tough, but when you have a crowd like this, it’s crazy,” said Medjedovic. “I’m playing really good here. I’m feeling amazing in front of my crowd. I think I really found my level after a long time. I was working hard to find it, but in today’s match I think I played the best so far and I’m happy that I won.”

Too strong, too good ?@MedjedovicHamad records the biggest win of his career to set up a semi-final showdown against Djere! ??#BelgradeOpen pic.twitter.com/xLozS8jUiU

With his win, Medjedovic improved his tour-level record for the season to 8-7. The 2023 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion’s progress has been disrupted this year: He did not play an ATP Tour match until April after being laid low by a virus, and has since found wins at that level hard to come by. He did reach an ATP Challenger Tour final in Istanbul in early September, however, and this week on home soil has begun to show signs of his best form.

The superstars of the Nitto ATP Finals gathered for an iconic group photo Thursday in Turin in the build up to the season finale, which begins Sunday at the Inalpi Arena.

Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Alex de Minaur and Andrey Rublev gathered at the Parlamento Subalpino inside the Museo Nazionale del Risorgimento for the iconic photo.

Earlier, players were greeted by thousands of fans as they walked the blue carpet at the Piazza Carlo Alberto, one of Turin's most picturesque squares, where a tournament promotion was projected onto the facade of the National Library.

On a mild night in Turin, fans followed the players' journey on two large screens as the stars continued to the Carignano Theatre, where they answered questions from an emcee in front of a largely young gathering of fans. 

Players later participated in a joint press conference (split by groups) and conducted one-on-one interviews in the Chamber Hall, one of the most prestigious rooms in the city.

The Nitto ATP Finals draw was made on Thursday, allowing the players' final preparations to ramp up.

Daniil Medvedev, the 2020 champion, has fallen in the Ilie Nastase Group alongside World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. When the pair meet, it will be a thrilling repeat of last year's semi-final and bragging rights will be on the line as their Lexus ATP Head2Head series is tied at 7-7. 

ATPTour.com assesses some of the other intriguing Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalries that will continue in Turin. 

Ilie Nastase Group
Sinner and Medvedev tied at 7-7
After losing his first six meetings with Medvedev, Sinner has managed to shift the momentum firmly in his favour over the past two seasons. The 23-year-old holds a commanding 4-1 lead over Medvedev in 2024, highlighted by his thrilling comeback in the final of the Australian Open to win his maiden Grand Slam title.

Sinner leads Fritz 2-1
Fritz played the biggest match of his life against Sinner in the final of this year’s US Open, but was unable to gain a foothold as the Italian cruised to a straight-sets victory. Fritz will, however, relish the opportunity to take revenge against Sinner in the group stages of the Nitto ATP Finals.