Three ATP 250 tournaments kick off, players sprinting towards the year-end finals!

The international tennis circuit is nonstop. The premier Asian men’s event—the Shanghai Masters—wrapped up only yesterday, and now three ATP 250 tournaments are beginning at the same time this week. Let’s see which players have entered.

At Almaty, the Russian pair Khachanov and Medvedev are both in the draw. Medvedev’s run ended in the Shanghai Masters semifinals, which was unfortunate, and Khachanov exited even earlier. Among the two, Medvedev still aims to fight for a spot at the year-end finals, while despite some improvement in Shanghai, his poor performance in the North American fall swing has made qualifying for the finals increasingly unlikely—unless he wins the Paris Masters.

Khachanovwill face either Struff or McDonald in the second round. Other notable players in the top half include Moutet, Darderi, Jere, and Michelson, while the bottom half features Diano, Jarry, Coppolí, Brandon Nakashima, Mauresmo, and Nardi.

The Brussels tournament has attracted a higher-ranked field, with Musetti and Alcaraz, who faced off in Shanghai, leading the top and bottom halves respectively. Fifth seed Paire will open against Finland’s top player Ruusuvuori; third seed Lehecka is in the second quarter, where he may face Spanish veteran Agut, American giant Opelka, Frenchman Bonzi, German Altmaier, and Argentine clay-court specialist Baez.

The third quarter is led by local favorite Borges and the blond Spaniard Fokina, while former local star Goffin participates with a wildcard. Though this event is relatively new, attracting such a strong player field certainly justifies the organizers’ efforts.

The Stockholm tournament, known for launching careers with first titles for stars like Shapovalov and Paul, remains popular despite being late in the season. Nordic duo Rune and Ruud headline the field. Rune, who reached the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals, will face the winner between De Jong and Fucsovics in the second round. Sixth seed Muller drew a tough section, playing Kecmanovic in round one and potentially facing former French Open quarterfinalist Echeverry next.

In the second quarter, Italian heartthrob Berrettini and French number one Humbert compete, with Italy’s Sonego proving a challenging opponent no one wants to face. The third quarter likely features a clash for a semifinal spot between former champion Shapovalov and Dutch top player Griekspoor, with several local wildcard entrants appearing in this section.

In the final quarter, the first-round match between Poplin and Korda draws attention, and former US Open champion Cilic is also one to watch. If Cilic advances past the opening round, he could pose a threat to Ruud in the second.(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Luo Cheng Qiye)