Statisfaction: Simplifying London Scenarios for Thursday in Paris

As of late Wednesday , two spots in the ATP’s elite eight still remain unclaimed, but that could change tomorrow if Jo-Wilfried Tsonga can defeat Nicolas Almagro in their third-round tilt.

By Chris Oddo

(October 31, 2012)--As of late Wednesday , two spots in the ATP’s elite eight still remain unclaimed, but that could change tomorrow if Jo-Wilfried Tsonga can defeat Nicolas Almagro in their third-round tilt.

Here are the current standings as of late Wednesday:

WTF Standings

A quick glance at the standings shows that Almagro is the only player with a chance to catch Tsonga. An unlikely title run would leave Almagro with 3,425 points and Tsonga with his current tally of 3,400.

The good news for Tsonga is that he is currently 5-0 against the Spaniard.

With John Isner, Marin Cilic and Richard Gasquet suffering second-round defeats in Paris, all three have been eliminated from the race. That leaves only Milos Raonic and Juan Monaco with a slim chance to catch Janko Tipsarevic for the eighth and final spot.

Tipsarevic can eliminate Monaco all by himself if he can take the Argentine down tomorrow afternoon. But a Tipsarevic loss would open the door for either Monaco or Milos Raonic to make a late run for London.

Here’s how that would go: A Tipsarevic loss would leave the Serb with 2,900 points on the year, and it would make it possible for Monaco to pass Tipsarevic with a run to the finals. Raonic, who is currently 520 points behind Tipsarevic would have to win the tournament to qualify for London.

If Almagro finds a way to get his first career win over Tsonga tomorrow, he’ll have to reach the final to qualify, and he’ll still need Tipsarevic to lose in either the third or quarterfinals.

Hopes are slim for Almagro, Monaco and Raonic, but if any or all can pull through tomorrow, it will make Friday very interesting.

Tomorrow's key matchups:

Milos Raonic vs. Sam Querrey
Juan Monaco vs. Janko Tipsarevic
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Nicolas Almagro

(Photo Credit: ATP)