Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur receive big ATP Finals boost before their next matches

Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur are among the long list of players currently battling it out for a place at the ATP Finals.

The year-end tournament returns to the ATP calendar next month, with only eight players making the cut in Turin. And three of those places have already been secured, with Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton claiming the first three spots.

Fortunately for the chasing pack, Jannik Sinner won’t play again this season, meaning his place at the ATP Finals is now up for grabs. The situation is constantly changing, but both Djokovic and De Minaur have just received a big and unexpected boost in their hopes of qualifying ahead of their next matches in Basel and Vienna respectively.

Novak Djokovic and Alex de Minaur receive big ATP Finals boost

The Serbian and the Australian are right behind Spanish youngster Rafael Jodar in the standings. He is ninth, with De Minaur in 10th and Djokovic in 11th. But both players can now pass Jodar in the Race to Turin following his shock loss at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

Third seed Jodar met Valentin Vacherot in the round of 16 of the ATP 500 tournament, where he was beaten 6-7(4-7), 6-2, 5-7(5-7). It’s a big blow for his ATP Finals chances, and at the same time a huge incentive for his closest competitors. Djokovic plays against Jan-Lennard Struff at the same stage in Basel, while De Minaur is already into the quarterfinals of the Vienna Open.

Meanwhile, Frances Tiafoe can also breathe a sigh of relief after Jodar’s exit. The American is one place ahead of him in the standings, but suffered a setback by losing to Lorenzo Musetti in his Vienna opener. And it’s also welcome news for the likes of Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli and Arthur Fils, who are fifth, sixth and seventh respectively in the Race to Turin.

American duo Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz can, however, continue to pile the pressure on those ahead of them. The former is also a Vienna quarterfinalist after beating Luciano Darderi in just 48 minutes, while the latter remains in contention in Basel.

Many more twists and turns can be expected between now and the cut-off for the ATP Finals, which arrives at the Paris Masters. But right now Djokovic and De Minaur very much control their own destinies, and could take big steps in this fierce race this week. The Paris Masters is scheduled for November 2-8, with the ATP Finals taking place in Italy on November 15-22.