PARIS/WASHINGTON, October 27, 2024 (by Michael Dickens)

As the Rolex Paris Masters begins Monday, the results from the ninth and final ATP Masters 1000 event on the 2024 calendar likely will determine the remaining places for next month’s Nitto ATP Finals.

In the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, the top four places have already been clinched by Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev. However, the fifth through eight positions remain up for grabs this week with six players — Taylor Fritz, Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Alex de Minaur and Grigor Dimitrov — realistically vying for the final four spots.

The stage is set ✔️

As the season draws to a close, the Rolex Paris Masters provides the final drama of the regular tour calendar!

— ROLEX PARIS MASTERS (@RolexPMasters) October 25, 2024

All but Djokovic, who has won seven of his record 40 ATP Masters 1000 titles at Paris-Bercy and tallied a 50-9 record at the tournament, are in the 56-player main draw. The 37-year-old Serbian announce his withdrawal from Paris on social media Wednesday.

“Unfortunately I won’t be playing @rolexparismasters this year. Sorry to everyone who was hoping to see me play there,” Djokovic wrote in an Instagram Story. “Wishing all the players, sponsors, organisers and fans a great tournament.

“I have a lot of great memories winning seven titles there and hope to be back with you next year.”

After the Rolex Paris Masters main draw was revealed Friday evening, it became apparent that the top-seeded Sinner from Italy —  who has already clinched the ATP Year-End No. 1 and will attempt to add to his ATP Tour-leading seven titles and three Masters 1000 crowns this season — won’t have an easy road to the final by any measure. That’s because after his first-round bye, he could open against Ben Shelton of the United States and 13th seed Holger Rune of Denmark, who won the 2022 Paris title in a three-set final over Djokovic, is a potential opponent after that in the last 16.

The 2024 singles draw is OUT! #RolexParisMasters pic.twitter.com/iezrQN0jXZ

— ROLEX PARIS MASTERS (@RolexPMasters) October 25, 2024

Sinner beat Shelton two weeks ago in Shanghai en route to winning the Rolex Shanghai Masters. Rune opens against Matteo Arnaldi of Italy.

Fifth seed Fritz of the United States is also in Sinner’s quarter of the draw, and third seed Zverev from Germany and sixth seed Rublev of Russia are also in the top half of draw positioned in the second quarter. Fritz opens against either Jack Draper of Great Britain or Czech Jiri Lehecka; Zverev opposes either Italy’s Luciano Darderi or Tallon Griekspoor of the Netherlands; and Rublev will draw either a qualifier or Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina.

Meanwhile, second seed Alcaraz of Spain anchors the bottom half of draw with No. 7 seed Ruud from Norway in his quarter. No. 4 seed Medvedev of Russia and No. 8 seed Dimitrov of Bulgaria were drawn in the other quarter. Alcaraz will play either a qualifier or Chile’s Nicolas Jarry; Rudd will oppose either Australian Jordan Thompson or Pedro Martinez of Spain; Medvedev will face either Alexei Popyrin of Australia or Italian Matteo Berrettini; and Dimitrov was drawn to play either Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverry or Zhang Zhizhen of China.

Here are the projected quarter-finals of the #RolexParisMasters ↘️ pic.twitter.com/pfLaqupAu9

— ROLEX PARIS MASTERS (@RolexPMasters) October 25, 2024

During his pre-tournament news conference on Saturday, Sinner admitted it’s been a long season, but “always when you arrive to the end, everything can happen.

“You know, some players, they are a bit fresher; some, they are a bit more tired.

“But I’m personally happy to be back here. It has been a tournament where, you know, I couldn’t find my best tennis until now. But you know, let’s see what I can do this year. Hopefully, it’s going to be a good one but also a very, very tough one.”

World No.1 at work #RolexParisMasters | @janniksin pic.twitter.com/icWr2IUbqv

— ROLEX PARIS MASTERS (@RolexPMasters) October 26, 2024

Sinner admitted he’s not been dealt an easy draw, especially with Shelton and Rune as possible early-round opponents, Fritz a possible foe in the quarterfinals and Zverev or Rublev in the semifinals.

“Yeah, very tough draw. Very, very difficult draw especially here in these courts,” he said. “You know, big servers are very tough.

“Yeah, it’s a very, very tough draw. But, you know, we go day by day. Then everything can happen. The draw can open up sometimes, or, you know, you never know what’s coming.”

The 23-year-old Sinner will enter competition in the French capital city with an ATP Tour-leading 65 wins in 71 total matches. He’s 22-1 since the start of the Cincinnati Open and has won three of his last four tournaments. With only two weeks to go until the Nitto ATP Finals, Sinner would like to garner another big title and head to Turin for the third time on a winning note.

Regardless of whom Sinner starts with in his first match on Court Central at the AccorHotels Arena, he said he’s looking forward to it. “I’m focused about myself, and hopefully I can raise the level from the last two years I came here, which I have struggled a little bit here on this court,” he said. “So, let’s see.”

Around the Rolex Paris Masters

Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada has withdrawn from the tournament due to a back injury. The announcement was made Saturday.

The 19th-ranked Auger-Aliassime wrote on Instagram: “I tried to give myself every last opportunity to be fit to play in Paris but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be this year. ❤️‍ After experiencing some pain in my back during Basel, I did some testing and attempts to practice before concluding that I wouldn’t be ready to compete in Paris at the level I’d hope for.

“That being said, it’s a bittersweet ending to the season and I’m going to do everything in my power to recoup mentally and physically for a strong start in 2025. We keep going.

“Thank you as always for all of your kind words and support. ”

When the singles main draw was revealed Friday evening, Auger-Aliassime was drawn to face No. 23 Ben Shelton of the United States with the winner to face top seed Jannik Sinner of Italy in the second round. The Canadian’s place in the draw will now be filled by a qualifier.