Alexander Zverev's path to the ATP Finals became much more complicated after Jordan Thompson of Australia knocked him out in the opening round of the Japan Open. Prior to this, the German had been playing some of his best tennis, performing strongly during the North American hard-court swing with deep runs in both Cincinnati and the US Open. He carried that momentum into the Asian leg of the tour, winning in Chengdu and reaching the final eight in China.
Alexander Zverev’s chances of qualifying for the ATP Finals were dashed in the first round of the Japan Open by Australia’s Jordan Thompson. The German enjoyed a resurgence to form during the North American hard-court swing, reaching the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Masters and the quarter-finals of the US Open, and he carried that momentum over to the Asian swing, winning the Chengdu Open before reaching the last eight of the China Open.
The momentum stalled, however, with a second-round defeat in Shanghai and now a first-round loss in Tokyo. Because of these results, Zverev missed the chance to guarantee his spot in the ATP Finals this week, leaving him in a vulnerable position. Although he is currently sixth in the Live Race to Turin with 3,415 points, the players chasing him are close enough to potentially overtake him during the Tokyo event and other remaining tournaments.
Currently, Taylor Fritz is in ninth place, trailing Zverev by just 450 points, followed by Casper Ruud and the Shanghai Masters champion, Hubert Hurkacz, who are also within reach. While the top tier of the game—including Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, and Jannik Sinner—have already qualified, there are still four open slots remaining for the rest of the field.
Zverev, the third seed, was open about his struggles on Monday, especially after Thompson broke his serve early in the first set. Even though Zverev managed a 2-0 lead in the second set, Thompson fought back with crucial breaks in the third and ninth games. Reflecting on the performance, Zverev described the match as 'horrible' and expressed his frustration, stating he was at a loss for words because his opponent played so well while he struggled. This opens the door for those chasing him in the rankings; Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, and Hubert Hurkacz all have opportunities to close the point gap in their respective opening matches in Japan against Cameron Norrie, Yosuke Watanuki, and Zhang Zhizhen.
In other news, eighth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime finally broke a slump, winning his first ATP match since August's Cincinnati Masters. The Canadian overcame Aleksandar Vukic in a tight three-set battle (7-6, 6-7, 6-2) at the Japan Open. After a string of first-round exits at the US Open, China Open, and Shanghai Masters, Auger-Aliassime admitted the win was a huge relief, noting that he had been questioning his game but remains committed to training and regaining his top form.