Rafael Nadal is out with impending appendix surgery, Andy Murray and David Ferrer are trying to lock down the final two spots at the ATP World Tour Finals, and Milos Raonic and Grigor Dimitrov are clamoring to stay in the year-end hunt during the final week of ATP play at the BNP Paribas Masters Paris in France.
The Top 16 seeds are Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, David Ferrer, Kei Nishikori, Tomas Berdych, Milos Raonic, Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Roberto Bautista Agut, Feliciano Lopez, John Isner, Kevin Anderson, Gilles Simon, and Fabio Fognini.
Raonic has a favorable draw until a potential quarterfinal meeting with Federer. Dimitrov not so much as he is slated to meet Murray in the third round.
The event also looms large for Federer, who could use the final Masters tournament as a springboard to overtake Djokovic for the year-end No. 1 ranking, helped by the Swiss Open title he captured on Sunday.
In last year’s Paris final, Djokovic defeated Ferrer for his second career Masters Paris crown.
The 16 seeds all receive byes in Paris, but a few opening round matches remain in Gael “Force” Monfils vs. Joao “Phllips” Sousa (winner to meet (13) Isner), Basel finalist David Goffin vs. Lukas Rosol (winner to meet (4) Ferrer), a potential opener for (15) Simon vs. Fernando “Hot Sauce” Verdasco, Tommy Robredo vs. Vasek “Popsicle” Pospisil (winner to meet (6) Nishikori), (11) Bautista Agut likely to meet Richard Gasquet in his opener, and (16) Fognini likely to meet “Dr.” Ivo Karlovic in his opener.
Wildcards went to Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert, Adrian Mannarino and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, while withdrawing from the event were Nicolas Almagro (foot), Juan Martín del Potro (wrist), Rafael Nadal (impending appendix surgery), Marin Cilic (arm), and Ernests Gulbis (shoulder).
Potential quarterfinal meetings are Djokovic vs. Murray, Ferrer vs. Nishikori, Berdych vs. Wawrinka, and Federer vs. Raonic.
Past champions in the field are Djokovic (2013,’09), Ferrer (2012), Federer (2011), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (2008), and Berdych (2005).
You Might Like:
ATP Finals Field Is Set As Cilic, Thiem Take Last 2 Spots, But Will Nadal, Del Potro Play?
ATP Finals Field Set As Tsonga, Tipsarevic Take Final Two Spots
Last Week of Season Redux; MS-Paris Preview
Djokovic, Federer Lead Last ATP Tango in Paris Preview; Tennis-X Notes
Andy Murray Could Take The No. 1 Ranking From Novak Djokovic This Week!