Rolex Paris Masters 1000, Bercy

[Moxie]

DATE: 30 Oct. - 5 Nov., 2017
SURFACE: Hard
PRIZE MONEY: €4,507,375
FIELD SIZE: 48
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Andy Murray

Seeds:

1. Rafael Nadal
2. Roger Federer
3. Marin Cilic
4. Alexander Zverev
5. Dominic Thiem
6. Grigor Dimitrov
7. David Goffin
8. Pablo Carreño Busta
9. John Isner
10. Sam Querrey
11. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
12. Kevin Anderson
13. Juan Martin del Potro
14. Roberto Bautista Agut
15. Albert Ramos Viñolas
16. Jack Sock

The Tournament:

The BNP Paribas Masters is the ninth and final ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. As the final tournament of the regular men's tennis season, the Palais Omnisports in Bercy showcases the cream of the crop as they vie to win the prestigious title and clinch one of the remaining qualifying spots in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.

About Paris

Enough has been said about Paris, but it is one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world. They City of Lights, cultural center of France and the world, center of gastronomy, fashion, film and a meeting place of many ethnicities.

The Left-Bank is long associated with artists, writers and philosophers, such as Collette, Picasso, Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, James Baldwin, Anais Nin and Jean-Paul Sartre. But the place still buzzes with trendy bars and restaurants, like Le Bar du Marchè.

Le Marais is historically aristocratic and Jewish, and is now one of Paris' main localities for art galleries. Following its rehabilitation, the Marais has become a fashionable district, home to many trendy restaurants, fashion houses, and hip galleries. The Marais is also known for the Chinese community it hosts. Also here is the Musée Picasso, and many trendy restaurants and fashion houses.

For the morbidly inclined, Pere Lachaise cemetery offers the opportunity to pay homage at the tombs of many famous people. It's the largest cemetery in Paris, and the most visited in the world, by those who pay homage to the likes of Chopin, Edith Piaf, Maria Callas and Jim Morrison, among many, many others.

Hidden Paris Video:

 

[Moxie]

 

[Moxie]

I'd say that Rafa has the tougher half, of the two, but the 2nd quarter, with Sasha, Grigor and delPo seems to be the the toughest of all.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

As many as 11 players who were originally scheduled to play, pulled out making it lucky for alternates. Even Shapo managed to get in.

 

[Moxie]

As many as 11 players who were originally scheduled to play, pulled out making it lucky for alternates. Even Shapo managed to get in.

I'm playing the draw challenge, and kind of curious to see how the qualifiers fill in. Bercy has always kind of been the land of opportunity, being at the end of the year, so it will be interesting to see who manages to take advantage. More than a few lower-ranked guys could get a little bump here.

 

[isabelle]

Thiem pulled out yesterday, don't know who'll replace him

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Rafa's path is not easy. Obviously it is never easy but second round against brother Zverev can be really tricky for him if the courts are playing a bit faster and he does not have his timing yet.

 

[Moxie]

Thiem pulled out yesterday, don't know who'll replace him

Seems that he's changed his mind and will play. Whatever the health issue is not serious enough to skip.

 

[Moxie]

Monfils has pulled out and a LL will get his slot in the draw.

 

[shawnbm]

With Roger now out, if Rafa wins one match but loses everything at WTF in London, and Federer wins the event in London, is Nadal number one on points? What if Rafa loses in first match in Paris and all else remains the same?

 

[El Dude]

With Roger now out, if Rafa wins one match but loses everything at WTF in London, and Federer wins the event in London, is Nadal number one on points? What if Rafa loses in first match in Paris and all else remains the same?

I think that's true.

Another, maybe easier, way to put it is that if Rafa wins only one more match--no matter what match it is--he's year-end #1.

For Roger to be YE1, Rafa has to win no more matches this year AND Roger win all five of his matches at the WTF (meaning, he can't lose a RR match).

 

[Moxie]

I have to think Rafa can win one more match this year, unless he really has a knee issue. With Roger out, he might finally take Paris, given who's still in, and how everyone is playing right now.

 

[Busted]

Now that Roger's dropped out of Paris - I'll be shocked if Nadal actually plays. Why would he take the risk? He doesn't need the points and given his crappy record at the WTF - 0-8 appearances - you'd think he'd shift his focus to trying to win that. Added to that you'd think he'd know that there's no way he's going to successfully defend all of these points next year. Not at nearly 32 and not with Djokovic and Murray hopefully returning in good form. The more he wins this year - the more he HAS to win next year. Roger at least seems to understand that he's not going to be able to defend all the points he's earned this year. Not sure that's quite sunk into Nadal's noggin yet.

 

[Moxie]

Now that Roger's dropped out of Paris - I'll be shocked if Nadal actually plays. Why would he take the risk? He doesn't need the points and given his crappy record at the WTF - 0-8 appearances - you'd think he'd shift his focus to trying to win that. Added to that you'd think he'd know that there's no way he's going to successfully defend all of these points next year. Not at nearly 32 and not with Djokovic and Murray hopefully returning in good form. The more he wins this year - the more he HAS to win next year. Roger at least seems to understand that he's not going to be able to defend all the points he's earned this year. Not sure that's quite sunk into Nadal's noggin yet.

I don't think they really think like "I'd better not win this as I'll have to defend it next year." But he may hang around in Paris to collect up some points, then save it for YEC. He's got to think he's got a good shot at it this year.

 

[Moxie]

For anyone still game, you have a few more hours to play the draw challenge:

http://www.tennisdrawchallenge.com/group

 

[DarthFed]

I don't think they really think like "I'd better not win this as I'll have to defend it next year." But he may hang around in Paris to collect up some points, then save it for YEC. He's got to think he's got a good shot at it this year.

Not to be difficult but why would he really think he has a good shot at it this year? He will go in as a very distant second favorite. I will say it's probably his best remaining chance, assuming the currently injured elite guys find a high level again.

 

[shawnbm]

So what this all means is that if Roger had played Paris, and particularly if he had gone fairly deep, he actually would’ve had a legitimate shot at possibly catching Rafa in London? Obviously, this would assume he would win all of his matches in London and would go deeper than Nadal in Paris.

 

[Moxie]

Not to be difficult but why would he really think he has a good shot at it this year? He will go in as a very distant second favorite. I will say it's probably his best remaining chance, assuming the currently injured elite guys find a high level again.

Because Roger is complaining about his back again, because of the way he played today, and yes, because the guys who cause Rafa the most trouble are not available for it. You may call him a "very distant second favorite," which I don't agree with, but 2nd is still a decent shot. Why would you think he doesn't have a decent shot this year?

 

[Carol]

Because Roger is complaining about his back again, because of the way he played today, and yes, because the guys who cause Rafa the most trouble are not available for it. You may call him a "very distant second favorite," which I don't agree with, but 2nd is still a decent shot. Why would you think he doesn't have a decent shot this year?

Roger is complaining about his back again? when?.

 

[Carol]

I'm glad about Nadal is playing in Paris, I think he has taken a nice time off and it's time to work after to shake the fatigue he showed in Shanghai