Alex de Minaur becomes seventh player to qualify for ATP Finals, with just one spot remaining now
Alex de Minaur Seals Seventh Spot at Nitto ATP Finals: One Thriller of a Chase Left for Turin
Alex de Minaur’s blistering 6-2, 6-2 demolition of Karen Khachanov at the Rolex Paris Masters on October 30, 2025, wasn’t just a ticket to the quarterfinals— it punched his second consecutive pass to the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, making him the seventh man locked in for the season-ending showdown from November 9-16. The 26-year-old Aussie, now up to 55 wins on the year and leading the tour with 42 hard-court victories, learned of his qualification mid-interview and could barely contain his shock: “That’s actually confirmed? Geez, that feels amazing!” It’s a far cry from his winless 2024 debut, where injuries hobbled his campaign— this time, he’s gunning for redemption with a stacked resume: a dramatic Washington DC 500 title (saving three match points in the final), a Rotterdam runner-up finish to Carlos Alcaraz, and semis in Monte Carlo, Beijing, and Vienna.
De Minaur becomes just the second Australian to qualify back-to-back since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002-03, ending a 21-year national drought before last season. His Paris surge—edging Gabriel Diallo 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-3 in the second round before cruising past Khachanov (avenging two prior losses)—netted the crucial 180 points to leapfrog the cut line. Next up: a quarterfinal grudge match with Alexander Bublik on November 1, seeking payback for a gut-wrenching five-set French Open loss in May. A deep run here could even nudge him toward his first Masters 1000 crown and a top-5 breakthrough.
The Locked-In Lineup: A Star-Studded Field Awaits
With de Minaur in, the eight-man draw is nearly set—only one wildcard spot dangles tantalizingly out of reach. Here’s the confirmed crew, based on the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin standings as of October 30:
| Rank | Player | Key 2025 Highlights | Nitto ATP Finals Record |
|——|————————-|———————————————-|————————-|
| 1 | Jannik Sinner (ITA) | AO & Wimbledon champ; Rome final; World No. 1 for 60+ weeks | 10-2 (Defending champ) |
| 2 | Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) | RG champ; First to qualify; Year-End No. 1 race with Sinner | 7-3 |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev (GER) | Munich & Vienna titles; Toronto/Cincy semis | 17-10 (2x champ: 2018, 2021) |
| 4 | Novak Djokovic (SRB) | SF at all 4 Slams; Miami final; 18th qualification (ties Federer record) | 50-18 (7x champ) |
| 5 | Taylor Fritz (USA) | Stuttgart & Eastbourne titles; Wimbledon SF; Tokyo final | 5-3 |
| 6 | Ben Shelton (USA) | First Masters 1000 title; AO SF; Paris QF seals debut | Debut |
| 7 | Alex de Minaur (AUS) | Washington 500 champ; 55 wins (tour-high 42 on hard); 300th career win | 0-3 (2024 debut) |
It’s a powerhouse group: two Americans for the first time since 2006 (Fritz and Shelton), Sinner defending on home soil, and Djokovic chasing an eighth crown at 38. Alcaraz and Sinner’s Year-End No. 1 battle adds extra spice, while Zverev eyes a third Finals trophy.
The Nail-Biter: Who’s Grabbing That Last Ticket?
All eyes now turn to the Paris semifinals and finals for the eighth spot— a brutal 500-point swing that could flip the script. Lorenzo Musetti clings to virtual eighth (3,685 points), but Felix Auger-Aliassime lurks 290 points back and is alive in the quarters after three straight thrillers. The Canadian needs a title (or near it) to surge past the Italian, who crashed out early in Paris to countryman Lorenzo Sonego. Dark horses like Daniil Medvedev (former champ, resurgent post-Slam woes) or even Bublik could crash the party with a deep run, but they’d need miracles in the follow-up ATP 250s in Athens and Metz.
De Minaur’s qualification caps a thrilling Race to Turin, but the drama’s far from over. As he plots Bublik revenge, the tennis world holds its breath for that final name. Turin promises fireworks—who’s joining the party?
