De Minaur returns to Antwerp, Rublev and Tiafoe planted in Almaty and Stockholm | ATP Tour

5) Lammons/Withrow fight for a place in Turin: For the second year in a row, Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow fight to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. The Americans are ninth in the PIF ATP Doubles Teams Rankings and will look to improve their seeding position in Kazakhstan.

FIVE THINGS TO SEE IN ANTWERP
1) De Minaur will be back: The first seed in the Belgian ATP 250 is De Minaur, who will compete for the first time since reaching the quarterfinals of the US Open due to injury. The Australian is ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, and will make his return against Roberto Carballes Baena or Dominik Koepfer.

2) Tsitsipas second seed: A year ago, Stefanos Tsitsipas won the doubles title in Antwerp alongside his brother Petros Tsitsipas. The Greeks defend their crown and Stefanos is the second seed in singles. This year’s Monte Carlo champion will try to add a hard-court title to his 2024 collection. He will have to be alert from the first ball against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard or a qualifier.

3) The Belgians at home: Will there be a local champion in singles or doubles for the first time in Antwerp? Zizou Bergs, Alexander Blockx and Raphael Collignon represent Belgium and will have the support of their local fans. In doubles, Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen will try to win a trophy.

4) Gasquet retired: This week Richard Gasquet announced through an interview with L’Equipe that 2025 Roland Garros will be the last tournament of his illustrious career. The 2016 Antwerp champion received a wild card into the event and will look for vintage form against sixth seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round.

5) Krawietz/Puetz, first seeds in doubles: Kevin Krawietz captured glory at the European Open in 2019 alongside Andres Mies. In this edition, he will chase the trophy with another compatriot, Tim Puetz, with whom he is sixth in the PIF ATP Doubles Teams Rankings. The second seeds are Nitto ATP Finals 2023 competitors Santiago González and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

FIVE THINGS TO SEE IN STOCKHOLM
1) Rublev, on a tightrope: Top seed Andrey Rublev is in a tight battle in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin. The 26-year-old, who is attempting to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the fifth consecutive year, is eighth in the Live Race. He can help secure his position with a deep run in Stockholm, where he will play either Leo Borg or Alexandre Muller in his opening match.

2) A lot at stake in the Live Race: Rublev is not the only player competing in Stockholm who is fighting for a position in the Live Race. Casper Ruud and Tommy Paul are seventh and eleventh, respectively. Ruud will debut against Lorenzo Sonego or a qualifier, while the 2021 champion, Tommy Paul, will try to overcome Pedro Martínez or a qualifier.

3) The guests Borg, Wawrinka and Ymer: The wild cards for this year’s Stockholm singles main draw went to Swede Leo Borg, son of Bjorn Borg, former world number 3 Stan Wawrinka and local favorite Elias Ymer. Wawrinka debuted in Stockholm in 2010, when he reached the quarterfinals before falling to Roger Federer in three sets.

4) Dimitrov, former champion: Grigor Dimitrov, champion of the 2017 Nitto ATP Finals, is tenth in the Live Race, 645 points behind eighth, Rublev. The Bulgarian will hope that his fond memories of Stockholm, where he won his first ATP Tour title in 2013, will help him reduce the deficit. Dimitrov will begin his event against Quentin Halys or Sumit Nagal.

5) Heliovaara/Patten lead the doubles table: This year’s Wimbledon doubles champions Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten are the top seeds in Stockholm. After triumphing together in Marrakech and Lyon, they will try to win their fourth title of the season. The second seeds are Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski.