The majors are over, and most tennis players go back to playing the smaller tournaments; however, some may even have to go back to the challenger circuit. This is the time in the season when players begin to feel the aches and pains of various injuries. This is also the period in the tennis season when energy levels are low and the players are hanging on, trying to give one last push for the last important tournament of the season, which is the tour ending finals for the respective tour. The men have the Nitto ATP Finals in London and the women have the Shiseido WTA Finals in Shenzhen.

Late Season Opportunity

Yet, this period may be an opportunity for some of the lower ranked players to win titles and potentially boost their ranking for the upcoming season. Many of the top ranked players start to wind down their season and they will choose to play a very limited schedule, not wanting to over tax themselves after a grueling season and wanting to push themselves only for the bigger tournaments left in the season. Therefore, lower ranked players will not have to battle the challenge of the top ranked players in the draws of the smaller tournaments; thus, giving them an opportunity to end their season with a title or two.

Injury Is Often A Concern

As a tennis player you must balance playing enough to stay match tough, while at the same time avoid wear and tear injuries. Sadly, this period is also the time when many players end their season because of injuries that need healing and time for recuperation. A few top players have shut their season down early in the past because of injury, who will it be this season?

Goal Is To Win Tour Finals

The last goal left for some members of the top ten is ending the year as the top ranked player, which often coincides with winning the tour ending finals. Unfortunately, only one player from each respective tour can achieve that goal. Rafael Nadal, despite equaling Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the number of big tournament titles won (54), has never won a tour ending finals title. Will this be the year that he makes one last push to try and win the ATP Tour Finals title?

Simona Halep ended the last two years as the top ranked female player, who win end the year as the top ranked female player this year? There has been a lack of dominance on the WTA Tour recently; thus, we may have an unexpected top ranked player at the end of this season.

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