Vienna and Basel Spark the ATP Race: Sinner Aims for a Double Uphill Battle
21 October 2025
Race to Torino Heats Up in Vienna and Basel
As the 2025 ATP Tour nears its finale, the race to the Nitto ATP Finals tightens with a fierce push for crucial points. The Vienna and Basel events, both worth 500 points, offer a golden path to the season's decisive finish.
In Vienna, Jannik Sinner tops the seeds, paired with Alexander Zverev, while Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton spearhead the Basel challenge.
Sinner, the 2023 champion, returns to Vienna to regain his rhythm after withdrawing in Shanghai, opening against Daniel Altmaier and carrying a strong 12-4 record at this venue.
Alex de Minaur and Lorenzo Musetti chase Torino qualification, sitting seventh and just behind by a slim margin.
Daniil Medvedev, who recently won in Almaty and reached the semis in Beijing and Shanghai, continues the pursuit of Rublev and Khachanov for a seventh consecutive Finals appearance.
Separately, Nikolai Kier, Wimbledon junior champion, emerges as a rising star after four Challenger titles this season.
Kier eyes his first Next Gen Finals appearance, beginning in Vienna against Tomás Etcheverry.
In Basel, Fritz and Shelton lead the charge, occupying fifth and sixth in the Torino race.
Fritz faces a tough opener versus Shanghai shock winner Valentin Fassiro, while Casper Ruud, ranked 11, looks to strengthen his chances after his Stockholm title.
The spotlight also shines on the return of rising stars Jakub Mensik and Joao Fonseca, with Fonseca making his Basel debut against defending champion Giovanni Mbetchi Perecard.
Fashiro and Rendrknitch regain momentum after Shanghai, with Fashiro climbing into the top 40.
In doubles, Italians Simone Polilli and Andrea Favasori bid for a finals berth, while Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos present a stern challenge.
Ahead of Vienna, Sinner spoke about the challenge of maintaining his partnership with coach Darren Cahill for the coming season.
He described Cahill as exceptional, likening him to a second father, hoping to persuade him to stay to continue a run that already includes two Grand Slam titles, two major finals, and his Beijing title.
Sinner stresses the mental strength of his game and remains optimistic for his team next year.
With a mix of excitement and nerves, Vienna and Basel kickoff, and fans await decisive moments in this demanding qualifying race.
Punchline 1: If rankings were GPS routes, they’d keep recalculating every time Sinner sneaks a win.
Punchline 2: In tennis, the only thing faster than a rally is a coach walking off toward a better sofa—timeout, please!
