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Jannik Sinner previously said a return to world No 1 in 2025 was “impossible” before Carlos Alcaraz’s early Paris Masters exit boosted the Italian’s chances of returning to the top of the ATP Rankings.

Alcaraz replaced Sinner as the world No 1 after defeating the Italian in the US Open final in September, and is in pole position to seal the year-end No 1 ranking for 2025.

However, the Spaniard’s chances of sealing his first year-end No 1 finish since 2022 have been dented after a shock early exit in Paris, with the 22-year-old stunned in three sets by Cameron Norrie.

Defeat to Norrie snapped Alcaraz’s 17-match winning streak at Masters 1000 tournaments and also means that, while he is still in a strong position to finish 2025 as the world No 1, he could lose top spot to Sinner this week.

Alcaraz holds 11,250 points in the ATP Live Rankings, with Sinner currently on 10,510 points ahead of the start of his campaign on Wednesday.

However, with the Italian defending no points in Paris this week, a run to the title would place him on 11,500 points, enough to replace his rival as the world No 1.

Sinner would then have 1,500 points to defend at the ATP Finals as the defending champion, with Alcaraz only defending 200 points in Turin — swinging momentum back in the Spaniard’s favour.

However, Sinner now has more than a fighting chance to return to world No 1 in 2025 and potentially finish the season on top, something that he thought was not a possibility heading into this week.

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Speaking in his pre-tournament press conference — held before Alcaraz’s defeat — the four-time Grand Slam champion was asked about the opportunity to return to world No 1 by the end of 2025.

He replied: “No, it’s impossible. Honestly, I’m not thinking about this at the moment. It’s going to be a goal for next year. This year it’s not in my hands. Let’s say it like this.

“But considering how the whole year went, you know, we have achieved some incredible things. Now I just want to finish the season the best possible way. If I can do something great, amazing. If not, I did something great already this year.

“I will try, for me as also last year was, December is going to be a very important month for me, because I feel like we can make a lot of changes and a lot of work there. Also getting ready for the next season and the beginning of the season, I know how important it is for me for many scenarios.

“So let’s see what I can achieve and do there, but I’m relaxed. You know, I’m very happy what I did this year, and then we see what’s coming. And that’s it.”

World No 2 Sinner begins his Paris Masters campaign on Wednesday against world No 41 Zizou Bergs, who defeated Alex Michelsen in the opening round.

Sinner had received a bye into the second round and will take to court for the first time since lifting the Vienna Open title, beating Alexander Zverev last Sunday to claim his fourth title of the year.

The reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion could again face third seed Zverev, the reigning Paris Masters champion, in the last four this week.

Read Next: How many points are Alcaraz, Sinner, Zverev, Fritz & other ATP stars defending at Paris Masters?

The post What Jannik Sinner said about ‘impossible’ world No 1 hopes before shock Carlos Alcaraz exit appeared first on Tennis365.

The draw for the 2025 WTA Finals has been confirmed with Aryna Sabalenka heading Group Steffi Graf and Iga Swiatek headlining Group Serena Williams, but which group is the strongest on paper?

World No 1 Sabalenka will face defending champion Coco Gauff, world No 5 Jessica Pegula and the world No 8 Jasmine Paolini in her three round-robin matches while Swiatek takes on world No 4 Amanada Anisimova, No 6 Elena Rybakina and No 7 Madison Keys.

Group Steffi Graf has two Grand Slam winners in four-time major winner Sabalenka and two-time Slam champion Gauff while Swiatek (six Grand Slams), Rybakina (one) and Keys (one) are the Slam winners in Group Serena Williams.

In terms of favourites, Sabalenka and Anisimova have been backed by many tennis pundits to win the season-ending tournament in Riyadh, but you can never discount Swiatek and Gauff while the other challengers can beat any of their rivals on their day.

Group Steffi Graf

Reigning US Open champion Sabalenka is no doubt the player to beat as she is the top seed and has been the standout player on the WTA Tour in 2025 as she has reached the most finals (eight) and won the most titles (four).

Known for her power hitting, Sabalenka finds herself in a group of players who are more known for digging in and playing extended rallies, something that the world No 1 is usually keen to avoid.

Gauff, Pegula and Paolini are crafty players who usually make you play an extra shot while Sabalenka is someone who goes for her shots and likes to end a point as quickly as possible.

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The Belarusian leads the head-to-head 15-12 against her group rivals, but she does have a losing record against Gauff (5-6) while she leads Pegula 8-3 and Paolini 5-2 although she has lost her most recent match against Pegula in the semi-final of the Wuhan Open.

Gauff also won her last encounter against Sabalenka in the French Open final while the US Open winner has won three in a row against Paolini.

Paolini and Gauff are 3-3 in their head-to-head rivalry, Pegula leads Gauff 4-3 while the American is 5-0 against Paolini.

Group Serena Williams

Wimbledon champion Swiatek finds herself in the group of ball bashers with Anisimova, Rybakina and Keys all known for their raw power, something that the Pole has struggled with in the past.

Swiatek is 12-7 against her WTA Finals round-robin rivals as she is 1-1 with Anisimova, 6-4 against Rybakina and 5-2 against Keys. The Pole, of course, double bagelled Anisimova in the Wimbledon final before the American exacted revenge in the US Open quarter-final.

Rybakina was 4-2 against Swiatek at one point, but the Pole has now won four in a row while Keys claimed a big win over the world No 2 in the semi-final of the Australian Open.

Anisimova will face Rybakina and Keys for the first time on the WTA Tour during the group phase while Rybakina and Keys are tied 3-3 with each claiming a win in 2025.

There is no doubt that Swiatek plays better against counter-punchers, but she has managed to come to grips with the power hitters in the past few years.

Is one group easier than the other?

The short answer is no.

Sabalenka and Swiatek are favourites to top the groups after the round-robin matches, but they won’t have any easy matches.

But it has to be noted that in Group Serena Williams, Keys has not played since losing in the first round of the US Open at the end of August.

Anisimova recently skipped the Wuhan Open as she was also nursing an injury, but with her WTA Finals qualification already secured, she perhaps opted to just take an extended break before travelling to Saudi Arabia.

Swiatek won the Korea Open, lost in the round of 16 in the China Open and the quarter-final in Wuhan.

In Group Steffi Graf, Gauff won the Wuhan Open, Pegula reached the final while Paolini reached the semi-final of the Ningbo Open.

Sabalenka has played only one tournament since winning the US Open and that was in Wuhan where she lost in the semi-finals.

 

The post WTA Finals groups assessed: Aryna Sabalenka against counter-punchers and Iga Swiatek against big hitters appeared first on Tennis365.

Joao Fonseca continued where he left off at the Swiss Indoors as he kicked off his maiden Paris Masters campaign with a come-from-behind win over Denis Shapovalov.

Fresh from winning the biggest title of his career after beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the final of the ATP 500 event in Basel, Fonseca bounced back from losing the opening set against Shapovalov to come away with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over the world No 24.

Playing only 48 hours after his win in Switzerland, the 19-year-old took a medical timeout midway during the deciding set for treatment on his back and left thigh, but he assured everyone after the match that there was no reason to be concerned.

“I’m feeling good. Tennis is like this,” he said. “Week after week, you need to change the mindset, and there’s going to be some little discomfort, mini injuries, where I felt a little bit tight, feeling tight. But feeling good, nothing that a good physio can’t make it good in one day.

“I think tomorrow is going to be great. I’m already feeling better. Tomorrow is another good day, so I’m going to fight till the end.”

Another Rankings Boost

The Brazilian – who will face 10th seed Karen Khachanov in the second round – rose to a career-high No 28 in the ATP Rankings after his Basel title run and he is now closing in on another milestone after his win over Shapovalov.

Fonseca has climbed four places in the Live Rankings to No 24 and is now virtually assured of being seeded at next year’s Australian Open.

The youngster is set to feature at the Hellenic Championships and Next Gen ATP Finals after the Paris Masters, but his team’s decision to carefully plan his 2025 schedule has paid off.

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“This year was my first year as playing the big tournaments. So one of the things that me and my team, we try to focus a lot was which weeks we’re going to play, which weeks not going to play, focus more on physique and mentality,” he explained.

“I missed Asia. I was sick, but also because of my mental and my physique. Yeah, we didn’t go because it was too many things, Davis Cup, Laver Cup, and I was going directly to Asia. Yeah, I felt a little bit more sick so I didn’t go to Shanghai also. Then I started indoors.

‘The week after week is a lot of things, but it’s my first year, so I can’t complain. I’m just enjoying a lot the tour. But what I can see, a lot of players saying it’s too much sometimes. But yeah, this year we just knew it was going to be very much and we just focus on which weeks we’re going to play or not.”

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World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz was stunned in his opening match of the Paris Masters by Cameron Norrie and afterwards he revealed “he didn’t feel well” although he gave credit to the British player.

Playing for the first time since winning the Japan Open at the end of September, Alcaraz kicked off his bid for a fourth title in a row with a solid opening set, but then lost his way to go down 6-4, 3-6, 4-6.

Having won the Cincinnati Masters, US Open and Japan Open, it marked the six-time Grand Slam winner’s first defeat on the ATP Tour since Wimbledon back in July when he lost against Jannik Sinner in the final.

Q: Carlos, bad luck. What do you think were the keys to today’s match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: “Well, I just I didn’t feel well today. A lot of mistakes. Not feeling… I had no feeling at all. I think Norrie played really great tennis today, as well. Solid match. And I think that was the key.”

Q. How did you expect the lack of sensation? Because you were training since many days here.

CARLOS ALCARAZ: “I don’t know. Yeah, yeah. I had a lot of practices here, which I was feeling great, feeling amazing, moving on the court, hitting the ball. I had all the ideas clear, all the goals clear.

“But today, even in the first set, even that I won, I just felt like I could do much more than what I did. I tried in the second set just to be better, but it was totally the opposite. I just feel even worse.

“I think I have to give credit to Cam, as well, because I think he didn’t let me stay or come back to the match. I had few breakpoints, which I would say could have been really helpful for me. I didn’t take it with really easy mistakes. I’m really disappointed about my level today, and it is what it is.”

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Q. How do you think you can recover for the last three tournaments of the year now if you’re physically below your best right now?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: “Well, I don’t know. I will try to prepare myself as better as I can, coming to Turin, coming to Davis Cup, really important tournaments that I have ahead right now.

“Right now I just want to be back home, and let’s see what’s I gonna do. But of course I’m gonna practice and prepare myself, and obviously I will try not let this thing happen again.”

Q. You have a complicated story here in this tournament. How do you explain it? Maybe is it because it’s every time it is in the end of the season and maybe your lack of energy?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: “I don’t know. I came here really well. I came here with a lot of energy. I came here thinking that I could do good results because I have been playing really good tennis.

“This is the best year for me in terms of playing at the end of the year. So I’ve been talking with some other players, with my team, that I feel great. Other years I feel exhausted, I feel tired, I feel mentally, physically, but this year I feel good.

“I skipped Shanghai. I have been at home quite much days that I could enjoy myself there and relax, I help battery, so I don’t know what happened here.

“But I don’t know. It is a tournament that, yeah, it’s really difficult for me to play well, but I will figure it out, and I will end up playing great tennis here, for sure.”

Q. Was the latest match you remember when, like today you didn’t feel the ball, couldn’t win, with basically no explanation, was the latest record you have of this type of match?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: “I don’t know. I have few. I have few (smiling). But I don’t remember now. For sure this year it wasn’t, but I don’t know. One of last year’s, for sure. I don’t remember right now who I lost against during the last year, but I think one loss that I had last year was with not feeling at all.”

Q. Miami?

CARLOS ALCARAZ: “Probably Miami, but it was more in terms of physically, not about hitting the ball. So it was a bit different. It was a good one.”

The post Carlos Alcaraz’s full press conference after shock loss – ‘I just want to be back home’ appeared first on Tennis365.

The draw for this year’s WTA Finals round-robin stage has been revealed, with two Grand Slam final rematches from 2025 set for the opening stage of the year-end championships in Riyadh.

Action in Riyadh gets underway this coming Saturday, with this year’s groups named after tennis icons Steffi Graf and Serena Williams.

And Group Steffi Graf is set to be headlined by current world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who has been handed an intriguing set of matches as she attempts to win the title for the first time.

The Belarusian is set to face third seed and defending WTA Finals champion Coco Gauff, in what would be their first meeting since the American prevailed in the French Open final.

Gauff also beat Sabalenka in the semi-final of this event last year on her way to the title, and has an overall 6-5 lead in their head-to-head.

French Open champion Gauff and US Open champion Sabalenka are joined in their group by fifth seed and 2023 WTA Finals runner-up Jessica Pegula, who recently faced both women at the Wuhan Open.

Rounding out the group is eighth seed Jasmine Paolini, who is the only woman to have qualified for both the singles and doubles this year.

The Italian will look to progress out of the round-robin stage in singles for the first time, having exited in the group stage on her event debut twelve months ago.

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The Serena Williams Group is set to be headlined by second seed and 2023 WTA Finals champion Iga Swiatek, the reigning Wimbledon champion.

Having been knocked out of the tournament in the group stage last year, the Pole will be looking for a stronger campaign in 2025.

Swiatek is set for a rematch against fourth seed Amanda Anisimova, who is making her debut at the year-end championships this season.

The Pole famously double bagelled Anisimova in the Wimbledon final back in July, though the American turned the tables with victory in the US Open quarter-final this September.

Also joining Swiatek and Anisimova is sixth seed Elena Rybakina, who will be looking to make the knockout stages for the first time after round-robin exits in both 2023 and 2024.

Rounding out the group is seventh seed Madison Keys, who will be in action for the first time since the US Open.

Keys memorably beat all of Rybakina, Swiatek, and Sabalenka on her way to the Australian Open title back in January, and is back at the WTA Finals for the first time since 2016.

Steffi Graf Group

1) Aryna Sabalenka
3) Coco Gauff
5) Jessica Pegula
8) Jasmine Paolini

Serena Williams Group

2) Iga Swiatek
4) Amanda Anisimova
6) Elena Rybakina
7) Madison Keys

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The post WTA Finals draw: Sabalenka & Gauff in same group, Swiatek & Anisimova clash appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz enters the 2025 Paris Masters looking to win the title for the very first time, and he could also seal a major rankings milestone with a strong campaign.

It has undoubtedly been an exceptional year for the world No 1, who has dominated the men’s game with a staggering eight titles won — including French Open and US Open triumphs — and a further two finals to his name in 2025.

Alcaraz and key rival Jannik Sinner are well ahead of everyone in the ATP Rankings, but the Spaniard also has a notable lead over the Italian in the race to the year-end No 1 spot; here, we look at what he needs to do to end Sinner’s hopes in Paris this week.

As it stands

In the ATP Rankings as of Monday, Alcaraz holds 11,340 points, with Sinner 840 points behind on exactly 10,500 points following his victory at the Vienna Open.

Alcaraz has just 100 points to defend in Paris this week, while Sinner has no points to defend after missing the 2024 edition, meaning the world No 1 ranking is up for grabs this week.

However, while there is a thin margin between the two in the official ATP Rankings, there is a notable gap separating the two in the ATP Race to Turin.

The ATP Race to Turin monitors only points won in 2025, and, while Sinner has an impressive 9,010 points to his name after receiving a bye into second-round action in Paris, Alcaraz is comfortably ahead with 11,050 points ahead of his round two match on Tuesday.

Alcaraz is 2,040 points ahead of his rival for the season, and with both men competing for 2,500 points across the rest of the season — 1,000 points in Paris, and then 1,500 points at the ATP Finals — he needs just 451 more points to seal the year-end No 1 spot.

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An extra 451 points would place him on 11,501 points for the year, with Sinner able to achieve a maximum of 11,500 for the season with titles in both Paris and Turin.

The sheer volume of points on offer makes it likely that Alcaraz will seal the year-end No 1 ranking, especially considering that Sinner likely cannot afford to concede any further ground.

However, he can end the race in Paris this week, without the battle going down to the ATP Finals in Turin.

What does Alcaraz need in Paris?

With big points on offer at the finals Masters 1000 event of 2025, the equation is quite simple from Alcaraz’s perspective.

The 400 ranking points on offer for reaching the last four of the tournament would not be quite enough for the Spaniard to seal the year-end No 1 spot, though it would mean he needs just one round-robin win at the ATP Finals.

However, with 650 points on offer for reaching the final and 1,000 points for the title, a run to the final would guarantee Alcaraz the year-end No 1 ranking, regardless of how Sinner fares at the event.

A run to the final would place Alcaraz on 11,690 points for the season, ahead of the Italian’s potential tally of 11,500 points after hypothetical triumphs in both Paris and Turin.

If Alcaraz were to win the title, he would hold 12,040 points for the season, giving him not only the year-end No 1 spot, but a lead so commanding that it would likely see him remain at the top of the ATP Rankings throughout the opening months of 2026.

To have any realistic hope of claiming the year-end No 1 spot, Sinner likely needs to win the title in Paris — which would move him to 10,000 points for the year — and then win the ATP Finals, with Alcaraz falling early in Paris and then failing to make it out of his group in Turin.

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Grigor Dimitrov had some new faces in his coaching box as he made an impressive return to action to defeat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the 2025 Paris Masters.

In his first match since the injury that brutally ended his Wimbledon campaign 112 days earlier, Dimitrov convincingly defeated world No 56 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 7-6(5), 6-1 in the first round of the ATP 1000 in Paris.

The former world No 3 underwent surgery after he was forced to retire due to a pectoral tear when leading Jannik Sinner 6-3, 7-5, 2-2 in the last 16 at Wimbledon.

Grigor Dimitrov’s new-look team at the Paris Masters

• During his injury-enforced absence from tennis, Grigor Dimitrov split with his former coach Jamie Delgado, with whom he had enjoyed a successful partnership
• The 34-year-old Bulgarian has not spoken about any new additions to his team, but both Grant Chen and Yutaka Nakamura were in his coaching box for his first round win in Paris
• Dimitrov’s team shows he still has “serious ambitions in the sport”, according to former British player Colin Fleming
• The world No 38 has revealed his goal for 2026 is to play the full season and stay healthy

Dimitrov announced in September that he had parted ways with Jamie Delgado, who he had worked with since December 2022.

“After a few years and great achievements together, Jamie Delgado and I have decided to part ways amicably,” Dimitrov wrote on his Instagram story.

“I wish him the best in his future endeavours. I’m excited to start fresh after this time I’ve dedicated fully to my recovery.”

During his time with Delgado, who previously coached Andy Murray, Dimitrov reached seven finals, including Masters 1000 finals in Paris and Miami.

The Bulgarian won his first title in over six years at the 2024 Brisbane International and returned to the top 10 in the ATP Rankings in 2024.

It was announced earlier this month that British star Jack Draper had hired Delgado as his coach.

Who is Dimitrov’s fitness trainer Yutaka Nakamura?

Yutaka Nakamura, a renowned fitness trainer and strength and conditioning coach, is with Dimitrov in Paris.

The Japanese has an outstanding CV in tennis, having worked with a host of stars, including Maria Sharapova, Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep, Jennifer Capriati, Mary Pierce, Tommy Haas, Emma Raducanu, Kei Nishikori and Denis Shapovalov.

Nakamura’s previous role was with Raducanu, who hired him in December 2024. He worked with the Brit in the early part of the 2025 season before stepping down.

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Who is Dimitrov’s coach Grant Chen?

Dimitrov has not made any announcements about his coaching team since splitting with Delgado, but he was also supported by Grant Chen during his opening round win at the 2025 Paris Masters.

Chen is the head coach for the men’s tennis team at Southern Methodist University in Texas.

Colin Fleming, a retired British player who was commentating on the match for Sky Sports, revealed Dimitrov has known Chen “for a long time.”

“First time we’ve seen Dimitrov since Wimbledon and in that period, of course, a change in the team,” Fleming said as cameras focused on Dimitrov’s coaching box.

“Gentleman in the white cap there is Grant Chen, you can see he’s got what looks like a US college hat there, that’s because he is the men’s tennis head coach at SMU. Known Grigor for a long time, has Grant.”

Dimitrov’s new team shows he still has “serious ambitions”

Fleming, who reached a career-high ranking of 17, assessed that Dimitrov’s decision to work with Chen and Nakamura proves he still has big ambitions.

“I think having those sorts of people in his box says to me that Dimitrov still has serious ambitions in the sport,” said the Brit.

“He’s 34 years of age now, he doesn’t look too old to be playing top-level tennis, does he? He’s a serious athlete, plenty of power in his game.”

What Dimitrov said about his rehab from injury and his goals

After his victory against Mpetshi Perricard in Paris, Dimitrov spoke about the challenges of his rehab from his pectoral injury and his goals for his comeback.

What happened during his time away

“Oh, there’s so much, so much that happened. Firstly, I had a great summer, at least, a wonderful time. I was able to do anything I wanted to do and had some rest as I wasn’t playing. But the rehab was not easy, especially after our first month – it was the time where I really had to put a lot of work in.

“Mentally, I felt really great for some reason. I was kind of waiting to just dip a little bit, and the more challenging part was, I would say, two weeks before my return because I was building my own expectations, and you feel good to play, but you don’t know how anything will play out. Then I started feeling a little bit of excitement, but throughout the whole time, it was just very straightforward, and I was practising exactly the amount that I had to.”

Dimitrov’s goals

“I’m just going one day at a time right now. There’s no point for me to set any goals right now. My goal is still next year to come back and make sure that I play the whole season properly and stay healthy. That’s actually my goal right now. So, any given day that I’m out there on the court, whether it’s practice or a match, being able to go through it, that’s a success already.”

READ NEXT: How many points are Alcaraz, Sinner, Zverev, Fritz & other ATP stars defending at Paris Masters?

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The final ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the 2025 campaign is underway in Paris, but how many points are players defending from last year’s event?

The 2024 Paris Masters was the last edition of the tournament to be staged at the Accor Arena in the Bercy neighbourhood of the French capital, which had hosted the event since 1986.

Adjustments have been made to the amount of ranking points awarded at the prestigious indoor hard-court tournament, which has moved to the Paris La Defense Arena this year.

Ranking points that ATP players are defending at the Paris Masters

• Carlos Alcaraz is dropping 90 points at the 2025 Paris Masters, while Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic will not lose any points this week
• Alexander Zverev is defending 1,000 points, having beaten Ugo Humbert in the 2024 final. Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton are each defending 40 points, and Alex de Minaur is dropping 180 points
• The amount of ranking points awarded has been increased this year for the losing finalist, as well as semi-finalists, quarter-finalists and players who lose in the second and third rounds

At the 2024 Paris Masters, Alexander Zverev dismantled Ugo Humbert 6-2, 6-2 in the championship match to claim his maiden title at the event.

Holger Rune and Karen Khachanov reached the semi-finals, while Alex de Minaur, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov and Jordan Thompson fell at the quarter-final stage.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Draper were among the players to lose in the last 16, while Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev all lost in the second round.

Lorenzo Musetti, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe and Hubert Hurkacz were the seeded players who lost in the opening round.

How many points are players defending from last year at the 2025 Paris Masters?

Here is a breakdown of the points that current top players, and selected others, are dropping at the Paris Masters.

1,000 points – Alexander Zverev

600 points – Ugo Humbert

360 points – Holger Rune and Karen Khachanov

180 points – Alex de Minaur, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov and Jordan Thompson

90 points – Carlos Alcaraz, Jack Draper, Arthur Fils, Arthur Rinderknech, Francisco Cerundolo, Alexei Popyrin, Arthur Cazaux and Adrian Mannarino

45 points – Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Daniil Medvedev, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev

10 points – Lorenzo Musetti, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe

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What about Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic?

Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic are not dropping any points this week as they did not play the 2024 Paris Masters.

Why players can earn more points at the 2025 Paris Masters

More points are being awarded at the 2025 Paris Masters, with the exception of the champion (1,000 points) and first round losers (10 points), who will collect the same amount of points as in 2024.

Winner: 1,000 points
Finalist: 650 points
Semi-finalists: 400 points
Quarter-finalists: 200 points
Round 3: 100 points
Round 2: 50 points
Round 1: 10 points

Which players have withdrawn from the 2025 Paris Masters?

Novak Djokovic, Jack Draper, Holger Rune, Arthur Fils, Ugo Humbert, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe and Jakub Mensik all withdrew ahead of the Paris Masters.

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Joao Fonseca has been tipped from a young age to reach the top in tennis and he has now been backed to end Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s stranglehold on the ATP Tour.

The Brazilian sensation won the biggest title of his very short career when he beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the final of the Swiss Indoors and the Spaniard made a bold prediction when they shook hands after the match.

“You played unbelievable tennis today. You are the person of this sport. You have a bright future for sure. You’re gonna be the next Nole to beat Carlos and Jannik for sure,” the world No 15 told Fonseca.

Novak Djokovic, of course, was the man to end Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s dominance as he ended the Big Two partnership, forcing it into a Big Three before later turning it into the Big One as he broke most of the Fedal records.

Alcaraz and Sinner have also started ruling men’s tennis as they have shared the last eight Grand Slams, winning four each, with many believing they will continue to be the top two for years to come.

But Davidovich Fokina feels Fonseca will be the man to end their monopoly, just like Djokovic did with Federer and Nadal.

Given the youngster’s rise in the space of two years, it is easy to see why the Spaniard is backing him.

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The Brazilian sensation made his debut as a 16-year-old at the 2023 Rio Open and later in the year he was crowned ITF Junior world No 1, becoming the first player from his country to achieve the feat.

His maiden match win arrived in 2024 and at the end of the season he was crowned NextGen Finals champion, but 2025 was the year when he truly announced his arrival on the big stage as he won his first title at the Argentine Open, becoming the youngest Brazilian to win a tournament.

After reaching back-to-back third rounds at the French Open and Wimbledon, the teenager cracked the top 50 in the ATP Rankings in July and three months later he finds himself inside the top 30.

Fonseca’s latest rise came on the back of winning the ATP 500 event in Basel and now he has set his eyes on being seeded at the 2026 Australian Open.

“It’s been very important, and I’m happy with the decision we made. Everything we’ve done this year has been carefully planned, down to the last detail, with a very well-structured start to the year,” he said.

“I didn’t play the Masters 1000 in Shanghai because we prioritised my well-being. At the beginning of the season, the goal was to play in all the Grand Slams. We adapted my goals as the season progressed.

“I told my coach I wanted to be seeded at the next Australian Open, and now I’m leaving here on the 28th or 27th, I don’t remember … The tour is a sprint; in two days I’ll be playing in a new tournament. We’re going all out.”

The post Joao Fonseca backed to be ‘next Novak Djokovic to beat Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’ appeared first on Tennis365.

Grigor Dimitrov has declared that his time away from tennis “really did me good” ahead of his much-anticipated return from injury at the 2025 Paris Masters.

The Bulgarian star has not played since suffering a tear in his right pectoral muscle in his fourth round Wimbledon contest with Jannik Sinner in July.

Dimitrov was leading Sinner, who was the world No 1 at the time, 6-3, 7-5, 2-2 on Centre Court when he was cruelly and suddenly forced to retire due to the injury.

Grigor Dimitrov opens up ahead of his return from injury

• Grigor Dimitrov said he took advantage of the rare chance to spend time at home during the summer and explained he was not actively following the tour during his absence
• The world No 38 addressed what may have caused his injury blow, but said it is “impossible” to find an answer
• Dimitrov will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in his comeback match, and he will also partner Nicolas Mahut in doubles

The 2017 ATP Finals champion revealed on July 11, four days after his retirement against Sinner, that he had undergone surgery and described having to retire as “one of the most painful moments of my career.”

The 34-year-old had been playing inspired tennis against Sinner at Wimbledon and he was in with a real chance of completing a huge upset that would have ranked as one of the finest wins of his career. Sinner went on to claim his maiden Wimbledon crown, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Dimitrov’s Wimbledon heartbreak was the latest instance of his body breaking down at Grand Slam tournaments as he became the first player in the Open Era to retire mid-match at five consecutive majors.

The former world No 3 was leading 6-2, 6-3, 2-6 against Ethan Quinn in the opening round at the 2025 French Open when a thigh injury rendered him unable to continue.

At the 2025 Australian Open, Dimitrov was forced to retire in the second set of his first round match with Francesco Passaro. He was also unable to finish his 2024 US Open quarter-final against Frances Tiafoe and his 2024 Wimbledon last 16 clash with Daniil Medvedev due to injuries.

What Dimitrov said about his time away from tennis

Ahead of his Paris Masters comeback, Dimitrov revealed he was in a good place and spoke about his positive approach in the aftermath of the injury.

“I’m doing very well, taking a step back from tennis really did me good,” Dimitrov was quoted as saying by L’Equipe (translated from French).

“It was the first time in almost twenty years that I could really be at home for the summer, so I took advantage of these moments. I wasn’t really following what was happening on the tour, I wasn’t trying to stay connected.

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“It was important to really let go. I realised that it’s normal to be injured, it’s normal not to play every week. I accepted all of that and I’m just very happy to be back.

“Surprisingly, I was strong. I didn’t see it as a negative, although there were doubts, of course. To say that everything went perfectly would be wrong. But I know how to deal with these things, not just injuries, but also anything mental.”

What Dimitrov said about the possible causes of the injury

The Bulgarian recognised that a number of factors could have been behind his injury, but asserted that he will “never know” the cause.

“I did everything I could to avoid asking myself that question,” Dimitrov added.

“It’s impossible to have an answer. We know what our schedule looks like: the number of tournaments, weeks, the workload… We always take that risk.

“Is it bad luck? Maybe. The schedule? Maybe. A lack of preparation? Maybe. But we’ll never know. There’s no point wasting energy looking for an explanation we won’t find.”

Who will Dimitrov face at the Paris Masters?

Dimitrov, who was a runner-up at the 2023 Paris Masters, will face world No 56 Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the opening round of the Masters 1000 event on Monday. It will be his first encounter with the huge-serving Frenchman.

The 34-year-old will also partner Nicolas Mahut, a former world No 1 in doubles, in what will be the last event of the 43-year-old Frenchman’s career.

“We always wanted to do a few double sessions together throughout the last years, but I was honestly never really able to commit,” Dimitrov said of Mahut to ATPTour.com.

“It was the right time. It was the last tournament for him and it made sense. I have a very sentimental relationship with him.

“For so many years, we played against each other. We competed more than once on such a big occasion. So it’s safe to say that it’s a good ending for him.”

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