The upcoming ATP tournament in Paris is a Masters 1000, making it one of the second-biggest events on the annual tennis calendar. They trail only the four Grand Slams – in which 2000 ranking points are awarded to the champion – in prize-money and prestige.
Those factors alone make Paris a very important tournament, but added to the equation is potential Nitto ATP Finals qualification. Only the top eight players qualify for the year-end championship, and right now four of the eight remaining spots are still mathematically up for grabs (only Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev have clinched).
All four of those guys are among the top favorites in Paris, especially since Novak Djokovic has withdrawn. Let's take a look at the best bets to be made for the Rolex Paris Masters.
- JANNIK SINNER
- DANIIL MEDVEDEV
- TOMMY PAUL
Sinner Can Cement Status As Year-End No. 1
Sinner has already clinched the year-end No. 1 ranking on the ATP Tour. That being said, it’s not like he is suddenly going to lose motivation simply because of that fact. He has a lot of ranking points to defend coming up, having reached the Nitto ATP Finals title match in 2023 prior to winning the Australian Open in January of this year.
The Italian not only wants to maintain his lead atop the rankings but also wants to prove his worth in the No. 1 spot. With Alcaraz seeded second and therefore automatically in the bottom half of the draw opposite Sinner, the top seed has a favorable path at least to the Paris final. Moreover, the 23-year-old is 21-1 in his last 22 matches. It’s almost impossible to pick against him.
JANNIK SINNER
Medvedev Poised To End 2024 On A High
This is generally Medvedev’s favorite time of every tennis season. In fact, coming down the stretch of the 2019 campaign he reached six consecutive ATP finals. One year later he lifted the trophy in Paris. Twelve months after that he finished runner-up at this event to Djokovic.
Medvedev simply loves playing indoors, so he should be in line for even more success in Paris. Amazingly, even though Medvedev is still a solid No. 5 in the rankings, he has not won a single tournament in 2024. While that may be somewhat alarming, at the same time he has to be incredibly motivated to finally secure a title. This might be just the time for him to get the job done.
DANIIL MEDVEDEV
Is It Tommy’s Time In Paris?
Speaking of motivation, Paul is still in Nitto ATP Finals contention. The 12th-ranked American has to reach at least the Paris final in order to have a chance of qualifying, and he really has to capture the title if he wants a realistic shot. It’s not out of the question that Paul does it.
The 27-year-old has been awesome this season, with a 45-18 match record that is highlighted by three titles – including one just a week ago on the indoor hard courts of Stockholm. Paul could be due for his first-ever triumph at the Masters 1000 level
TOMMY PAUL
