PARIS: Jannik Sinner beat Francisco Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 in the third round of the Paris Masters on Thursday to extend his indoor winning streak to 23 matches and maintain his chances of reclaiming the No. 1 ranking.
The four-time Grand Slam champion needs to win the tournament to take the top spot from Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner’s quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be Ben Shelton.
The fifth-seeded American beat 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev 7-6 (6), 6-3 to secure his place in the eight-man, season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
Sinner is chasing a fifth title of the year and 23rd overall. He won an ATP 500 tournament in Vienna last Sunday despite having cramps.
“Hopefully, I can recover physically, which is my main priority” Sinner said ahead of his eighth match against Shelton. “Today was a great match and a great performance from my side.”
He leads Shelton 6-1 overall.
Later Thursday, defending champion Alexander Zverev played Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
Vacherot keeps going
There seems to be no stopping Valentin Vacherot, who reached another Masters quarterfinal by beating Cameron Norrie 7-6 (4), 6-4.
Already this month, Vacherot made a stunning run from the qualifiers to win the Shanghai Masters for his first career title. He downed 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and beat his own cousin Arthur Rinderknech in the final.
“I never expected it,” Vacherot said. “Good thing that I keep going here, maybe enjoying the matches even more than in Shanghai.”
The 40th-ranked Vacherot, who is from Monaco, beat Rinderknech again in the second round here in Paris, setting up a match against Norrie after the British player eliminated Alcaraz.
Vacherot had five aces and saved all five break points against Norrie, who dropped serve once.
Vacherot next faces ninth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime, who rallied past Daniel Altmaier 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Victory maintained Auger-Aliassime’s chances of reaching the eight-man, season-ending ATP Finals in Turin, Italy.
Other matches
Fourth-seeded American Taylor Fritz lost 7-6 (5), 6-2 to No. 13 seed Alexander Bublik; No. 6 Alex De Minaur won 6-2, 6-2 against 2018 champion Karen Khachanov; and 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev reached his 25th Masters quarterfinal with a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over Lorenzo Sonego.
Race to Turin
De Minaur qualified for the ATP Finals for the second consecutive season and Shelton for the first time, leaving one spot left.
Auger-Aliassime will leapfrog Lorenzo Musetti only if he reaches the final in Paris.
Sinner reaches Paris Masters quarterfinals and stays on course to reclaim the No. 1 ranking
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Sinner reaches Paris Masters quarterfinals and stays on course to reclaim the No. 1 ranking
- The four-time Grand Slam champion needs to win the tournament to take the top spot from Alcaraz
- Sinner’s quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be Ben Shelton
Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup 2027 dates confirmed
- After a record-breaking tournament in January, the competition returns next year from Jan. 8-10
ABU DHABI: The Manchester City Abu Dhabi Cup will return in 2027 following another record-breaking edition last month, and the registration window is now open.
From Jan. 8 to 10, 2027, teams from across the world will be able to compete in the eighth edition of the region’s Tournament of Choice.
The competition’s three-day format returns after a successful expansion this year that had more than 8,000 people attend Zayed Sports City across a weekend that featured 3,500 local, regional and international players.
In total, 244 teams from the under-8 to under-16 categories competed in the 2026 edition, with 86 international sides, spanning 18 countries, four continents, and a record-breaking 44 girl teams.
Off the pitch, players and spectators were able to enjoy the City Village that played host to entertainment and activations supported by the club’s partners.
This included the e& Gaming Zone, Puma pop-up and Aldar’s showcase of Fahid Island, as well as performances from a DJ and visits from special guests, including tournament ambassador and Manchester City legend Nedum Onuoha, and event host FG.
Teams will compete for the Abu Dhabi Cup, and individual age-group winners will go into a prize draw for their team to win a trip to a City Football Group club, where they will train and watch the first team in action.
Simon Hewitt, tournament director, and director of Football Operations MENA, said the 2026 edition was a “landmark event.”
“It was the first time we had expanded the tournament to three days, and the reaction to that decision was incredible. Players were able to spend more time on the pitch, take in the incredible atmosphere of the City Village, and enjoy the sights and attractions of Abu Dhabi.
“We might only be a month removed from that tournament, but the hard work in preparing for 2027 starts now. Already, teams are asking when they can register, and we expect huge competition for places from all over the world.”
