Rune’s Shanghai Spark Lights Turin Path
Holger Rune’s quarter-final charge in Shanghai has pulled him closer in the race to the Nitto ATP Finals, where indoor hard courts could unlock his aggressive game once more, as other contenders like Daniil Medvedev scrap for every point in the tightening standings.
As autumn winds sweep across the ATP tour, Holger Rune and Daniil Medvedev have reignited their pushes for the Nitto ATP Finals with tenacious runs at the Shanghai Masters. The humid courts of China demanded quick adaptations, from probing returns to decisive net rushes, keeping their year-end hopes flickering amid a grueling schedule. ATPTour.com tracks the week’s climbers in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, frozen on this Monday, 13 October.
Rune narrows gap with indoor promise
Holger Rune has jumped two spots to 12th in the Live Race, banking 2,490 points after a quarter-final exit in Shanghai. Those three victories at the ATP Masters 1000 event trimmed his deficit to 945 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti, who holds the final qualification berth. The Dane now eyes Stockholm this week, drawing confidence from his 2023 Turin qualification and that 2022 Paris breakthrough—his maiden Masters 1000 title on indoor hard courts where his one–two serve-forehand combinations carved through defenses.
Rune’s Shanghai showing revealed a sharpening edge, his inside-out forehands pulling opponents wide before crosscourt backhands sealed points under the arena’s pulsing lights. With a demanding final month ahead, he must channel that precision to close the gap, turning the season’s frustrations into focused drives that echo the crowd’s rising energy. His history on faster surfaces suggests a tactical revival, where underspin slices disrupt rhythms and set up down-the-line winners.
Djokovic nears lock with seasoned calm
Novak Djokovic has risen to third with 4,580 points, a one-place gain after a semi-final run in Shanghai where he fell to eventual champion Valentin Vacherot. The Serb’s 35-11 season mark, per the ATP Win/Loss Index, underscores his relentless form across seven Nitto ATP Finals triumphs. That loss exposed matchup tensions, with Vacherot’s flat strokes forcing Djokovic into extended crosscourt exchanges, yet he adapted with slice backhands to regain control late in sets.
Qualification feels imminent for the 37-year-old, whose tactical depth—blending inside-in approaches with serve-volley surprises—turns pressure into dominance. As indoor events loom, his experience could amplify those patterns, the quiet intensity of his returns building under floodlit tension. The Turin draw awaits as a stage for psychological mastery, where every point carries the weight of legacy.
De Minaur and Medvedev chase fading edges
Alex de Minaur has locked in seventh at 3,545 points, his Shanghai quarter-final delivering the 50th tour-level win of the season for the 26-year-old Australian—a personal best. His court coverage neutralized power plays, weaving inside-in forehands into consistent one–two rhythms that exhausted foes. Vienna’s ATP 500, starting 20 October, offers a platform to solidify his standing, where baseline speed meets the mental grit of late-season battles.
Daniil Medvedev has surged five places to 15th on 2,360 points, his semi-final push in Shanghai including a victory over de Minaur that pushes their head-to-head to 8-4. The 29-year-old, a six-time consecutive qualifier with the 2020 title, relies on flat groundstrokes that probe crosscourt before striking down-the-line. As second seed in Almaty’s ATP 250 this week, he seeks momentum on a surface that favors his counterpunching, though the points math demands flawless execution amid rising urgency.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have secured their Nitto ATP Finals berths, slated for 9-16 November at Inalpi Arena in Turin. For the pursuers, each match sharpens the focus, transforming seasonal wear into tactical fire as the race hurtles toward its climax.
