Shelton and De Minaur are in! The race for ATP Finals qualification heats up at Rolex Paris Masters

The quest for ATP Finals qualification accelerated on Thursday at the Rolex Paris Masters as Ben Shelton (world No. 6) and Alex de Minaur (world No. 7) both secured victories in their round of 16 matches, effectively clinching their spots in Turin.

Meanwhile, Taylor Fritz, world No. 5, exited the tournament the day after securing his own qualification. His conqueror, Alexander Bublik, world No. 15, remains in contention for a Finals berth.

Ben Shelton was the first to prevail on Court No. 1, defeating Russian Andrey Rublev, the No. 12 seed, 7-6(6), 6-3 in a high-profile match. This win guarantees Shelton his first appearance at the ATP Finals in Turin. He is, at this stage, the first new player on the line.

“I knew I would qualify if I won, but I tried not to think about it and just stay focused here in Paris. I’m happy with my performance,” Shelton said on court. “This is the best tennis I’ve played in months. It’s huge; it’s always been a big goal for me, and to get back to this level is great.” Shelton will next face the winner of the match between Argentinian Francisco Cerundolo and Italian second seed Jannik Sinner to try to find his way to a new Masters 1000 trophy after the Canadien Open this summer.

Alex de Minaur looked in commanding form as he outplayed Karen Khachanov, winning 6-2, 6-2. With this victory, de Minaur secures his spot for Turin for a second consecutive season.

The race remains wide open, with Felix Auger-Aliassime (No. 9), Daniil Medvedev (No. 12), Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (No. 13), and Alexander Bublik (No. 15) all still competing at the Paris Masters and vying for a spot in Turin. Felix Auger-Aliassime won three thrillers in three days to stay in the Race.

Eight players currently qualify for the ATP Finals, comprising the top eight players in the ATP Race rankings, with the ninth-ranked player designated as an alternate. Several players ranked in the top 15 are out of contention due to injuries or early tournament exits: Jack Draper (No. 11) and Holger Rune (No. 14) are injured, while Casper Ruud (No. 10) was eliminated on Wednesday and can no longer qualify.

Qualified for the ATP Finals

1 Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 11,050 points
2 Jannik Sinner (ITA) 9,100
3 Alexander Zverev (GER) 4,660
4 Novak Djokovic (SRB) 4,580
5 Taylor Fritz (USA) 3,935
6 Ben Shelton (USA) 3,970
7 Alex de Minaur (AUS) 3,935 Paris

Competing for a place at the ATP Finals

8 Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 3,685 Paris – Lost to Sonego in 2R
9 Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 3,395 Paris
12 Daniil Medvedev 2,660 – 3R to come vs. Sonego
13 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) 2,635 Paris – 3R to come vs. Zverev
15 Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 2,670 Paris

RULED OUT

10 X Jack Draper (GBR) 2,990 Out for the season due to injury
11 X Casper Ruud (NOR) 2,835 Paris – Lost to Altmaier in 2R
14 X Holger Rune (DEN) 2,590 Out for the season due to injury

Novak Djokovic, currently ranked No. 4, has not yet confirmed whether he will participate in the ATP Finals, adding further uncertainty to the battle for the remaining spots. Those still in contention will most likely need to reach the latter stages of upcoming tournaments, though their chances will not depend that much on other players’ results.

Alexander Zverev, who earned 1000 points by winning the 2024 Paris Masters, is already qualified, as is Alex de Minaur, who earned 180 points by reaching the quarter-finals in 2024. Ugo Humbert (runner-up in 2024, 600 points) and Holger Rune, along with Stefanos Tsitsipas (180 points), did not play in Paris this year. Karen Khachanov and Grigor Dimitrov, both semifinalists in 2024 (360 points), as well as Andrey Rublev (180 points), have now been eliminated from the 2025 Paris Masters draw and the ATP Finals race.

Can qualify :

7 Alex de Minaur (AUS) 3,835
8 Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 3,685
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9 Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 3,295
12 Daniil Medvedev 2,660 Paris
13 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP)
15 Alexander Bublik (KAZ)