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October
As always the goal here is to load up on matches more than usual, in order to keep form high and training effective over the off-season. Normally also for WTF hopefuls to make their last push, but in recent years that hasn't really been much of a thing.
Prakash Mooljee was out there both weeks, winning the Stockholm Open(250) over Milos Schmucker. It was Duhr in the SF that took the only set he would lose all week, but not much trouble prevailing 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. Then he entered Vienna(500) the week after, but was not as successful. It took two tiebreaks including one in the third set(7-5) to narrowly escape Duhr again. Borja pushed him to three as well, and once again it was Schmucker in the final, but this time a different result; the Czech takes it 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(5). You can only tempt fate so many times before you get bitten. Prakash nabs his 10th 250 title, and was just a couple points from his 12th 500. Ritwik Dudwadkar took the first week off, and entered Vienna as well; this allowed both players to avoid Gillo Fangio, who played the other event, the Swiss Indoors. Dudwadkar did well early on, but lost to Schmucker in the semis fairly routinely. Somewhat disappointing, but indoor courts are his worst surface as a grinder.
Anil Mehul played two tier-1 futures, getting some singles matches in and moving up to just outside the Top 200. He played well enough that I expect him to dip back into Challengers next year. Sushant Chiba continues to practice as he'll be able to play juniors or amateurs all the way up to the end of the year.
The final Masters of the season in Paris awaits now.
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