Barring either an unexpected 500-point title this week or a Jack Sock-like miracle at the Paris Masters, the last two spots at the Nitto ATP Finals are coming down to Alexander Zverev, Matteo Berrettini, and Roberto Bautista Agut.
Zverev remains in strong position at No. 7 despite losing right away at the Swiss Indoors Basel to Taylor Fritz. However, both Berrettini (Erste Bank Open) and Bautista Agut (Basel) have advanced to respective quarterfinals to keep pressure on the sixth-ranked German.
Although David Goffin–among many others–is still mathematically alive for a London berth, he damaged his hopes by falling to Reilly Opelka 6-7(4), 7-6(4), 7-5 in the Basel second round on Thursday afternoon. There was not a single service break until the final game of the match with the Belgian serving at 5-6, when Opelka struck from out of nowhere for a break to 15. Goffin had previously not faced a break point the entire way. Opelka, who finished with 29 aces, saved two break points earlier in the third.
Playing simultaneously on Centre Court, Bautista Agut beat Richard Gasquet 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. The 10th-ranked Spaniard remained within 40 points of Berrettini for the all-important eighth spot by getting the job done in one hour and 43 minutes.
Berrettini booked his place in the Vienna quarters one day earlier with a 7-6(5), 7-6(1) defeat of Grigor Dimitrov. The Italian awaits either Hyeon Chung or Andrey Rublev on Friday, while Bautista Agut will battle Opelka.
[polldaddy poll=10441612]
the race is on
Damn Opelka 😠
Whats so special about this race? The real season ended a few weeks ago.