Milos Raonic eliminated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga from contention in Paris with a 6-2, 7-6(4) victory and Dominic Thiem can rest easy now.
The losses of Tomas Berdych and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga were the gain of Thiem on Friday, as the 23-year-old Austrian became the eighth and final player to officially qualify for the prestigious year-end event.
Thiem, who fell in the first round at Paris to Jack Sock, was made to sweat out the details as both Tsonga and Berdych continued to threaten. In fact, if Berdych had won today he would have overtaken the Austrian but he bowed out in straight sets to Andy Murray in Friday’s third quarterfinal.
Tsonga, a finalist in Vienna last week, would have had to win the title in Paris, but those hopes were dashed by the lethal serving of Raonic, who saved both break points he faced in winning his third straight against the Frenchman.
The eight ATP Finals qualifiers in singles and doubles are set to begin action in London on Nov. 13.
Raonic, along with this week’s three other semifinalists in Paris, still has work to do in the City of Lights. The Canadian will face Andy Murray in the semis and if Murray wins he’ll claim the ATP’s No.1 ranking heading into London.
The other semifinal will feature Marin Cilic, who qualified for London on Thursday, and American John Isner.