One week after Caroline Garcia’s title at the Women’s Masters, the Men’s Masters tournament begins on Sunday 13 November at the Pala Alpitour in Turin (Italy). The world number 1, Carlos Alcaraz, injured, is not present to defend his position in the ATP ranking, and Holger Rune, winner of the Paris-Bercy Masters 1000 and tenth in the world, will only be a substitute. Two rookies, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Taylor Fritz, are taking part in the tournament for the first time, while three former winners, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic, are placed in the same group.
Carlos Alcaraz threatened at the top of the standings?
Package, Carlos Alcaraz will not participate in his first Masters this year. With 1000 points ahead of the second player in the world, Rafael Nadal, the young Spaniard has a comfortable but not unattainable mattress. If he wins the tournament, Nadal will reclaim the world number 1 spot, which he hasn’t occupied since January 2020. Third-placed Stefanos Tsitsipas can also claim this position if he wins the tournament by winning all his matches.
One last scenario could make Alcaraz lose his mind: if Rafael Nadal reaches the final having won all his matches, and does not lose against an undefeated Tsitsipas, then the Manacor bull will be number 1 in the world, tied on points with his young Spaniard. , but ahead of him in the number of points won in Grand Slams, Masters 1000 and Masters.
Djokovic finally up to Federer?
The question has been around for six years. Already a five-time Masters winner, in 2008, then from 2012 to 2015, Novak Djokovic has since never taken the opportunity to equal Roger Federer and his six titles, a record. The Serbian has played well in two finals, in 2016 and 2018, but has not made it past the semi-finals in the last two years. In Turin Djokovic once again presents himself as one of the favorites of the competition, physically fresher than some of his competitors, given that he was unable to play two Grand Slam tournaments this season due to lack of vaccination against Covid. .
“I’m in good shape, especially in the last four or five months. I’ve won Wimbledon and most of the indoor tournaments I’ve played before the ATP Finals. I’m motivated and can’t wait to take on the challenge”, he said on the official ATP website. The Serbian is placed in the red group, together with two former Masters winners, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev, and Andrey Rublev.
A new winner on the list?
While his record shows 92 tournament wins, Rafael Nadal has never won the Masters in ten appearances. “I wasn’t good enough to win it in the past. I just accepted it and I’m happy to give myself another chance, at the age of 36”he said at the press conference, as questions surround his form following his early-stage elimination against Tommy Paul at Bercy.
The Spaniard was placed in the green group, together with Casper Ruud and two novices, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Taylor Fritz. With Andrey Rublev, eliminated in the group stage for his first two participations, there are therefore five who can win a first title at the Masters. American Taylor Fritz, ninth in the world, seems the least armed, Casper Ruud remains on four defeats in six matches on the circuit since his final loss at the US Open, and Felix Auger-Aliassime is the man in form of the moment, with three consecutive titles before a semifinal in Bercy.
