Taylor Fritz is doing his utmost to secure a place at the ATP Finals.
Fritz has accepted a wildcard to play an ATP 250 event in Lyon, clearly looking to add more points to his name in the Race to Turin. The American will also have a chance in Basel and the Paris Masters, which is the cut-off for points for the ATP Finals.
First, however, he is on the entry list for the Lyon Open, for which the draw has just been confirmed. And it isn’t exactly positive news for the 28-year-old, who has now learned his possible route to the title.
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Taylor Fritz handed tricky Lyon Open draw amid ATP Finals pursuit
Fritz is the second seed in Lyon, and has therefore received direct entry into the second round, which he will greatly appreciate. After that, he will take on either Sebastian Baez or a qualifier, and could then face a very tricky quarterfinal test against Arthur Fery. The Briton rose to prominence at Wimbledon earlier this year, becoming the first wildcard in 25 years to reach the semifinals.
Should Fritz win their battle, his fellow American Tommy Paul could await in the semifinals, before a potential final against top seed Flavio Cobolli. The Italian also has a memorable Grand Slam story in the 2026 season, making it to the final of the French Open, where he lost to Alexander Zverev.
It will be a big ask for Fritz to go all the way in Lyon, but he will be well aware that a lengthy stay is needed for his ATP Finals chances. Right now it doesn’t look good for the American, who is currently 13th in the Race to Turin.
And he enters Lyon in disappointing form, with Fritz losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas in just his second match at the Shanghai Masters. He is also one place behind his compatriot Paul in the Race to Turin standings, and two behind Novak Djokovic, who is also looking to boost his points tally after accepting a wildcard for Basel later this month.
Paul is also seeded in France, alongside Valentin Vacherot, Brandon Nakashima, Lorenzo Musetti, Ugo Humbert and Fery. Immediately following the Shanghai Masters, the ATP 250 tournament is one of three taking place from 19-25 October, alongside events in Almaty and Brussels.
