Cameron Norrie pictured – Photo Getty Images
As the end of theATP Masters 1000 Rome 2024scheduled for Sunday 19 May, the focus is on the ATP ranking to determine the 32 players who will have the privilege of being seeded at Roland Garros 2024. The battle that will take place this week at the Foro Italico is of fundamental importance, since arriving in this condition at a Grand Slam tournament is always very relevant, as is starting from high positions once seeded status has been secured.
Numerous players are involved in a challenge that promises strong emotions and which will be resolved in the next two weeks. At the moment, if there are no absences due to injury among the favourites, the cut will be made by Cameron Norrie, currently number 32 in the world. The Briton needs to accumulate points in Rome if he wants to keep players like him at bay Alejandro Tabilo, Arthur Fils, Jordan Thompson, Gael Monfils, Jack Draper and our Matteo Arnaldi.
Directly ahead of Norrie is Alejandro Davidovich, which does not arrive with good sensations and for which it would be vital to remain among the 32 best in the world in view of the Paris event. The competition is fierce and there are other players extremely dangerous for any favorite in the first round, who find it difficult or impossible to close the gap that separates them from the positions that give the right to be seeded at Roland Garros 2024. In this group we can include Marozsan, Struff, Sonego, Mensik, Coric and Matteo Berrettini.
The seeding position with which one arrives at a Grand Slam tournament greatly influences the potential crossovers that can be had. However, not every battle is limited to earning a place among the top 32 of the ATP rankings, but it is also very important what position you occupy among those 32. It should be remembered that there is a big difference between being the number 5 seed or the 4, or the 24 from the 25, for example, since the intersections that can occur change radically. Starting as the second seed is also important to avoid the best in the world until the final, while if you arrive as third, you know that you could meet one of the two best in the semi-final.
In this sense, we already know which three players will occupy the top seeded positions, with the doubt whether Medvedev will be able to maintain fourth place, thus potentially avoiding Djokovic, Sinner and Alcaraz until the semi-finals, or whether he will drop from fifth place in then, with Zverev as the only one with mathematical options to overcome the Russian.
Also very interesting in what position Holger Rune will start in Paris, setting himself up as a candidate for everything when he is well. Lots of puzzles to solve and a tournament ahead to do so. This Masters 1000 Rome will begin to dictate the fate of what will happen at Roland Garros 2024.
Francesco Paolo Villarico
