Sinner boosts ATP Finals chance with Antwerp title

[October 25, 2021] (Reuters) - Jannik Sinner moved up in the leaderboard in the race to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals after the 20-year-old Italian won the European Open title in Antwerp on Sunday.

Jannik Sinner (ITA) hits a shot against Taylor Fritz (USA) in their fourth round match during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Sinner defeated second seed Diego Schwartzman 6-2 6-2 in Belgium to lift his fifth ATP Tour title and climbed to 10th in the race to qualify for the Finals in Turin.

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

"Of course it's (on) your mind trying to go there. I would be lying if it wasn't like that," Sinner said of the Finals.

"Obviously you would like to go to Turin or you want to win this match or that point, but sometimes it happens and sometimes it doesn't happen. You have to accept that. Honestly, I just try to play tennis."

World number one Novak Djokovic, U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev have already qualified, with Matteo Berrettini, Casper Ruud and Hubert Hurkacz next in line.

Rafa Nadal is eighth in the standings but the 20-time major winner has already ended his season due to injury.

Aslan Karatsev is 13th after the Russian won the Kremlin Cup in Moscow by beating Marin Cilic in the final.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

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