New Spanish tennis sensation Rafael Jódar qualifies for ATP Finals in his first professional season
The Madrid player took the last remaining place in Turin after all four of his rivals slipped up
Enric Gardiner
Rafael Jódar has become the first player in history to qualify for the ATP Finals in his first season as a professional, after defeats for Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz sealed the last spot in Turin.
His place had been in doubt since his second-round exit to Casper Ruud at the Paris Masters, which left four rivals able to catch him.
Alex de Miñaur slipped up first, losing to Tomás Martín Etcheverry, and then Novak Djokovic was beaten by world number 83 Rinky Hijikata. Paul fell to Ben Shelton, while Carlos Alcaraz came back from a set down to beat Fritz.
Jódar has climbed 155 places in the rankings this year. Along the way, he won his first title in Marrakech, reached the Roland Garros quarter-finals and played in finals in Washington and Shanghai.
Alcaraz will join him in Turin, where the tournament runs from 15 to 22 November.
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