The ATP Finals return to the O2 Arena from the 11th to the 18th of November and will see the top eight players in professional tennis battle for the title.
Amongst those already qualified are Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, who are both engaged in their own fight for world number 1, a position currently held by the Spaniard.
Both men have had very strong years with Nadal winning yet another French Open and Djokovic taking home both the Wimbledon and US Open crowns.
Consistency Is Key
Roger Federer not surprisingly has booked his spot. After a great start to the season winning the Australian Open Federer has slipped in form, having a rather disappointing year by his usual high standards.
The Swiss man will look to bounce back into form in November.
Debuting in his first ever ATP Finals is Alexander Zverev. The youngest in the tournament at only 21 years old, Zverev will hope to show people he belongs amongst the big names of professional tennis.
The German has not been the most consistent player in Grand Slams, failing to get far into the later stages. However has proved to be a very strong player on tour. An ATP Finals victory would certainly boost the young players confidence going into next season.
Heart-Breaking Injury
It is looking like crowd favourite Juan Martin Del Potro will not be able to play in the finals not long after guaranteeing himself a spot.
The Argentine had a brilliant year reaching his first Grand Slam final since 2009 as well as reaching a career high world number 3 ranking.
Sadly it has all gone down hill since the US Open final for Del Potro. His unfortunate past with injuries followed him as the big man suffered a fractured kneecap during the Shanghai Masters, making it highly unlikely for a ATP Finals appearance.
This opens the door for the players who are just outside the top 8 and still fighting for their place.
Yet To Confirm…
There are three players who have not yet officially qualified. Marin Cilic, Kevin Anderson and Dominic Thiem.
Cilic and Anderson are looking pretty comfortable with a sizeable gap between them and the 9th spot.
The big men could prove to be a tough match-up with a combination of size, a power service game and a much improved rallying game. Cilic and Anderson have both made it to a Grand Slam final this year and will push to take home that 1.7 million pound prize as well as ATP glory.
However Thiem is in more danger of dropping out of the top 8, the Austrian has had an up and down year, reaching the final of Roland Garos where he showed off his skills against the legend of the clay court Rafael Nadal.
Unfortunately for Thiem a mixture of nagging injuries as well as a dip in form has seen him drop down the rankings, and has left him fighting to be a part of the tournament.
Still In The Hunt
Kei Nishikori is just behind the pack at the 9th seed but is in a very strong position to qualify.
Closing the gap on points and the potential of being an alternate for the injured Del Potro means it is very likely that Nishikori will be a feature of this years ATP Finals.
The Japanese player has been dealing with a wrist injury all year, but has fought hard and hit form late in the season, reaching the semi-final of the US Open and getting to the final of Tokyo.
Nishikori is the highest ranked male Japanese player of all time and will look to climb back up the rankings with the ATP Finals in his sight.
Also pressuring for a spot is the 6’10 ace machine John Isner.
The American has had a very solid season, reaching the Wimbledon semi-final where himself and Anderson fought for six hours and 35 minutes, a semi-final record previously held by Djokovic and Del Potro.
Isner is just behind Nishikori on points and is now back playing on tours after taking a break due to recently having a child.
With a potential alternate spot up for grabs and the pressure looming over Dominic Thiem, Isner will certainly have a shot at making the top 8 and booking his place in the finals.
With under a month until the Finals begin everyone will have their eyes on the last few tournaments as the race for the final few places heats up.
