Paris - 04/11

Good morning and welcome back to TIE-Breakfast: all the tennis you need with breakfast.

Ace Cream's daily newsletter during Masters 1000s and Grand Slams, every morning at 8:30.

Today is Wednesday, November 4, and in Paris it is 08:30 and 6 degrees. Ok, here we go.

Today at Breakfast

• 🇳🇴 Ruud beats Jodar and sends Cobolli to the ATP Finals
• 🇮🇹 Berrettini saves two match points against Nakashima, Humbert next
• 🇷🇸 Djokovic comes back against Vacherot and clings on in the race for Turin
• 🇺🇸 Shelton into the third round, Fritz and Paul still alive
• 🇮🇹 Today Musetti takes on Zverev, de Minaur plays for ninth place in the Race

WHAT HAPPENED:

🇮🇹 Ruud beats Jodar and sends Cobolli to the ATP Finals

Casper Ruud beat Rafael Jodar, taking revenge for the quarterfinal he lost in Shanghai. That result mathematically qualifies Flavio Cobolli for the ATP Finals in Turin (November 15-22) without him stepping on court. He had withdrawn from Paris because of the left thigh problem that forced him to retire, in tears, against Berrettini in Vienna. It will be his debut at the year-end event.

Jodar stays ninth on 3,234 points, which with Sinner out is the last qualifying spot, but from today his position depends on others. Alex de Minaur, tenth on 3,170, overtakes him with a single win against Tomas Martin Etcheverry. For Cobolli, meanwhile, the Paris week becomes a recovery week, with a precise date ahead.

🇮🇹 Berrettini saves two match points against Nakashima

Matteo Berrettini beat Brandon Nakashima, the No. 14 seed, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(8), saving two match points in the deciding tie-break and closing it 10-8. He landed 76% of his first serves and won 88% of the points behind them. It is his first win in Paris, and a few weeks ago in Shanghai it was Nakashima who beat him. Today he faces Ugo Humbert, in front of the home crowd.

🇷🇸 Djokovic comes back against Vacherot and stays in the race

Novak Djokovic beat Valentin Vacherot 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-1 in two hours and 35 minutes. Vacherot, who played the Basel final on Sunday, hit 14 aces in the first set alone, while Djokovic took a medical time-out for his right shoulder trailing 2-1.

At 39, Djokovic stays in the race for Turin on 2,940 points, 294 behind Jodar. Today he faces Rinky Hijikata.

🇺🇸 Shelton into the third round, Fritz and Paul still alive

Ben Shelton, the No. 3 seed and already qualified for Turin, had a first-round bye, beat Cameron Norrie in the second round and is into the third. Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul got through the first round: twelfth and thirteenth in the Race, Paris is their last chance for Turin.

WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY:

• Bellucci vs Rinderknech (Court 1, 11:00) - Bellucci against a Frenchman playing at home.
• Zverev vs Musetti (Central Court, after Halys-Tiafoe, not before 13:30) - Zverev's first match as world No. 1, after a first-round bye.
• Etcheverry vs de Minaur (Court 2, after Paul-Merida, not before 12:30) - With a win, de Minaur overtakes Jodar in the Race.
• Djokovic vs Hijikata (Central Court, not before 15:30) - Djokovic has to keep winning to stay in the race for Turin.
• Berrettini vs Humbert (Court 1, last match of the day) - Berrettini looks for his second win in Paris against a Frenchman in front of the home crowd.
• Michelsen vs Alcaraz (Central Court, not before 19:00) - Alcaraz, the No. 2 seed, opens his tournament.
• Fils vs Machac (Central Court) - Fils is seventh in the Race on 3,535 points. Also in action today are Tiafoe, eighth, against Halys and Fritz against Molcan.

Read More

• ATP Paris: Berrettini, thriller win over Nakashima! Humbert next
• Race to Turin, daily: Cobolli qualifies, and Jodar's fate now rests with de Minaur
• Novak Djokovic hits back at 'too old, too slow' claims after beating Valentin Vacherot
• Paris Masters 1000: schedule, times and order of play on Wednesday, November 4

Enjoy your breakfast and have a great day.

See you tomorrow at 08:30 with TIE-Breakfast.