Medvedev, Fognini, Shapovalov Pace 2020 Auckland Field

Daniil Medvedev will look to maintain his momentum from a breakthrough 2019 season at January’s ASB Classic in Auckland, where the 23-year-old will make his debut.

Medvedev, the World No. 5, is set to lead the way at the ATP 250, topping a field of six Top 25 players and seven men who have competed in the Next Gen ATP Finals during their career.

The last time a Top 10 player wore the Auckland crown was in 2013, when David Ferrer won the tournament for the third year in a row. Medvedev has lifted a trophy within the season’s first two months in each of the past two years, triumphing in Sydney in 2018 and Sofia this season.

Four of the projected top five seeds have cracked the Top 10 of the ATP Rankings within the past two seasons. World No. 12 Fabio Fognini, No. 17 Karen Khachanov and No. 19 John Isner are projected to be the second, fourth and fifth seeds, respectively. The trio has combined to win 28 tour-level titles.

Denis Shapovalov finished this year in the best form of his career, winning his first ATP Tour trophy in Stockholm and making his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final in Paris. The Canadian lefty, who is up to a career-high World No. 15, is projected to be the third seed in Auckland, where he has competed twice previously (1-2).

Other players in the field include Benoit Paire, 2019 finalist Cameron Norrie, reigning Winston-Salem champion Hubert Hurkacz and 2019 Milan competitors Frances Tiafoe, Casper Ruud and Ugo Humbert. This year’s winner, World No. 68 Tennys Sandgren, is entered, but currently the fourth alternate.

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/35VxXbo