Berrettini qualifies for ATP Finals despite Paris disappointment

Matteo Berrettini qualified for the ATP Finals on Friday evening, making him the first Italian to qualify for the season-ender tournament since Corrado Barazzutti in 1978. He qualifies for the tournament despite his loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Paris Masters. After the qualification, Berrettini said that he was really happy and satisfied with the result. The ATP finals will be taking place between November 10-17.  

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'Great satisfaction'

Berrettini said, “I would have never thought I could qualify a couple of months ago. I am just so happy to be among the Top 8 in London. It is a great satisfaction and the reward for the superb work that my team, my family and of course myself have put in place this whole year. Now we prepare for the final show! I will be ready." 

Apart from Berrettini, the field includes Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev, Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev. 

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In October, Berrettini broke into the top 10 rankings after a season that has seen him perform well at the top level. He has won two titles in this season. The Italian won the Stuttgart and Budapest Open and is currently ranked ninth in the world. With 2670 points, Berrettini becomes the player with the least points to directly qualify for the Finals since the new rankings were introduced in 2009. 

READ: Roger Federer Withdraws From Paris Masters In Lead-up To ATP Finals

The draw ceremony for the ATP finals will be taking place on Tuesday, November 5 for the year-end tournament which features the eight top-ranked players in the world. The players in the tournament play in a round-robin format in order to compete for a place in the semi-finals and the finals.  

Ahead of the tournament, ATP Executive Chris Kermode said, “This year looks to be one of the most interesting player fields in the history of the tournament with the established superstars of the ATP Tour challenged by the next generation. The longevity of the Tour’s global icons combined with the impressive rise of the future stars of our sport over the past couple of years has made for a fascinating spectacle. It’s all to play for in London.” 

READ: Roger Federer Withdraws From ATP Cup Citing Personal Reasons