A Spectacle in Sight in Stockholm: Rune and Ruud Favorites, French Players Ready to Surprise

The Swedish tournament kicks off without its 2024 finalists, but with an enticing lineup nonetheless. Rune, Ruud, Shapovalov, Humbert, Müller… a perfect cast for an indoor tour that promises to be thrilling.

The Stockholm tournament is one of the first stops on the end-of-season indoor tour. This year, the lineup features Holger Rune and Casper Ruud as the favorites.

The two Scandinavian players, seeded No. 1 and No. 2, will benefit from a bye and make their debuts in the second round. Rune will face Jesper De Jong or Marton Fucsovics, while Ruud will play against Marin Cilic or his young compatriot Nicolai Budkov Kjaer.

Denis Shapovalov, the tournament winner in 2019, is the No. 3 seed and will begin his campaign against Leo Borg or Sebastian Ofner.

Two French players will also be seeded: Ugo Humbert will face Matteo Berrettini or a qualifier, while Alexandre Müller will battle it out with Miomir Kecmanovic.

Defending champion Tommy Paul, absent since the US Open, withdrew earlier this week, as did finalist Grigor Dimitrov.