Paul improves Nitto ATP Finals standing with Stockholm title

This has been the best season of Tommy Paul’s career and it continued on Sunday afternoon at what has become his best tournament. Paul won the Nordic Open for the second time, defeating Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 6-3 in Stockholm.

It was a crucial contest between two players who went into the match at No. 10 (Dimitrov) and No. 11 (Paul) in the race to the Nitto ATP Finals. The American’s triumph moved him into the 10th spot.

Paul, who did not lose a set in the entire event, now owns four ATP titles–including three this year. He also lifted the Stockholm trophy in 2021.

“I feel like every match I played a little bit better and better,” Paul commented. “Today I came out playing amazing, so I was definitely happy with the performance…. It’s a very special place for me. This is where I got my first title a few years ago and to come out and play the level of tennis I did this week, it’s been a dream.”

A busy week on the ATP Tour with three 250-point tournaments also saw Karen Khachanov lift a trophy. The Russian got the best of first-time finalist Gabriel Diallo 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 at the Almaty Open. Khachanov led by a set and a break but ended up needed two hours and 23 minutes to prevail.

“(There were) a lot of emotions; now I’m relieved and super happy,” the world No. 26 said. “You can’t expect a final to be easy, without tension, but it was until 6-2, 4-2. Then he started to relax, go for his shots a little bit more, and he suddenly turned the match around.”

Finally, unseeded Roberto Bautista Agut won the European Open in Antwerp by beating Jiri Lehecka 7-5, 6-1.

“This one is very special,” the 36-year-old Spaniard noted. “I broke my foot last year and I had to fight so hard this year. I went back to 120 in the world, but I was still going to practice with a smile on my face, trying to be a better player, to fight until the end of my career. I think I deserved a week like this.”

It is Bautista Agut’s 12th ATP title.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on Twitter at @Dimonator.