Diego Schwartzman makes ATP Finals after Rafael Nadal beats Pablo Carreno Busta
Rafael Nadal’s victory over Pablo Carreno Busta in the quarter-finals of the Rolex Paris Masters ensured Diego Schwartzman will make his ATP Finals debut later this month.
Schwartzman missed the chance to book his place when he was beaten 6-3 6-1 by third seed Daniil Medvedev in the French capital, giving Carreno Busta a glimmer of hope.
The Spaniard needed to win the title in Paris and then pick up more points at the Sofia Open next week to pip Schwartzman, and his hopes were still alive when he won just his second set in seven matches to lead against countryman Nadal.
1st Time for @DieSchwartzman19 Sep. – 1st Win vs @RafaelNadal and vs Top 521 Sep. – 1st #ATPMasters1000 Final at @InteBNLdItalia6 Oct. – 1st 5-Hour Match (d. @ThiemDomi9 Oct. – 1st Grand Slam SF at @RolandGarros12 Oct. – 1st Week in Top 106 Nov. – 1st #NittoATPFinals Berth
— ATP Media Info (@ATPMediaInfo) November 6, 2020
But the world number two secured a crucial break of the Carreno Busta serve in the 12th game of the second set and ran away with the third to triumph 4-6 7-5 6-1.
Schwartzman is the eighth and final player to qualify for the season-ending tournament at London’s O2 Arena, joining Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Dominic Thiem, Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and fellow debutant Andrey Rublev.
In Paris, Medvedev will take on Milos Raonic, who staged a dramatic comeback in the third-set tie-break to defeat Ugo Humbert 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7), saving two match points.
