Ruud becomes first Norwegian to book ATP Finals spot

[November 05, 2021]    (Reuters) - Casper Ruud has become the first Norwegian to book a place in the season-ending ATP Finals, leaving one spot to be filled at the tournament in Turin, Italy later this month.

Norway's Casper Ruud in action during his quarter final match against Italy's Jannik Sinner REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

The 22-year-old has won five of his six ATP Tour titles during a breakthrough 2021 and is tied with Germany's world number four Alexander Zverev for the most tour-level trophies during the season.

The ATP Finals is played between the top eight men's singles players and doubles teams and will be held from Nov. 14-21.

"It's been an unbelievable year that will have the perfect end to the season," Ruud said in an ATP statement after confirming his Turin spot with a 6-2 6-1 win over American Marcos Giron at the Paris Masters on Thursday.

"It's been a stressful couple of weeks and months, because it's been such a tight race. It's been fun at the same time (and) so exciting to watch as a tennis fan."

Ruud joins world number one Novak Djokovic, U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Zverev, Andrey Rublev and Matteo Berrettini to qualify for the event.

Poland's Hubert Hurkacz will clinch the eighth and final spot if he beats Australian James Duckworth in the quarter-final of the ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris later on Friday.

(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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