ATP Finals without Americans again? A very real scenario! Who still holds the hopes of the USA?

The final event on the ATP circuit is approaching. Nitto ATP Finals starts on November 12. Traditionally, only the top eight tennis players in the world will play. Who remains the last best hope for the Americans and where do the US tennis players currently stand overall?

Long gone are the days when American tennis repeatedly ruled the final event for the top eight tennis players in the world. The ATP Finals has repeatedly fallen prey to the Americans. John McEnroe, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras have triumphed at the prestigious event a combined nine times.

In 2018, John Isner played his final tournament of the season. The following three final events were in singles without American participation. Last year, Taylor Fritz raised the U.S. flag.

And it was an interesting story. The 26-year-old qualified for the event in Turin at the last minute as the eighth player in the ATP rankings.

But he certainly didn’t disappoint at the final event. He took on Nadal in the main group and also won the scalp of Auger-Aliassime. Fritz then played an even semi-final with Djokovic, where he lost in two tiebreakers.

Taylor Fritz

The Californian native crowned his solid results this year with two titles. Both were won on hard surfaces and on home soil. In February, he dominated the tournament in Delray Beach and in July he won the event in Atlanta.

On the other hand, at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, he retired after his second match. So he has to fight for his position among the top eight tennis players again until the last possible moment.

He entered the final Masters of the season in Paris victorious. He knocked out Argentine Baez in two sets.

After the match, only one thing spoiled his joy. He had to get treatment before the end. Fritz and his team hoped that the problem would not escalate.

A day later, it was clear that Fritz had withdrawn from the Paris Masters because of the problem, leaving only one tennis player to keep America’s hopes alive in Turin.

Tommy Paul

The 26-year-old is also one of the few Americans to pass through the first-round net in Paris. He is ranked 12th on the ATP rankings and is more than 600 points behind the eighth-ranked Rune.

And there are still other opponents in his way. So it is clear that Paul would have to go a long way to qualify for the ATP Finals in Paris, probably all the way to the final. Who will he face on the court in the near future?

The closest opponent for the American will be the Dutchman Van De Zandschulp, a playable opponent. Then, of course, the duel with world number five Rubljov is a real possibility. Quite a challenge!

Finally,

The current situation of American tennis is specific. On the one hand, the United States lacks a tennis player at the absolute top. On the other hand, there are at least four in the elite 20.

Paul’s progression to the ATP Finals would make a great subject for a Hollywood movie, but the genre is almost science fiction.

Source: ATP, Network X