LONDON — Tomas Berdych became the sixth player to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals in London next month after capturing his eighth career title at the Stockholm Open Sunday. The Czech, who beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the final, has reached the year-ending showpiece for the world's top eight men for the third year in succession. Berdych reached the semifinals at the O2 Arena last year, losing to eventual runner-up Tsonga, and had enjoyed another consistent year, reaching the last eight at the Australian Open and the semifinals of the US Open. Two more spots are up for grabs with two weeks of the regular season remaining, although already-qualified Rafa Nadal is a major doubt having not played a match since Wimbledon because of recurring knee problems. Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro and France's Tsonga are in seventh and eighth positions in the race to London with Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic in ninth place. Results from this week's tournaments in Valencia and Basel and next week's Paris Masters will determine the lineup for London's fourth staging of the Tour Finals. Hewitt beats Monaco In Valencia, former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt knocked out Juan Monaco of Argentina 6-3, 6-4 in the opening round of the Valencia Open Monday, ending a 10-match losing run against top-10 opponents. The Australian wild-card entry broke the 10th-ranked Monaco twice in the opening set and three times in the second at the indoor hard-court tournament. The loss makes it difficult for the Argentine to qualify for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals. Hewitt will face Ivan Dodig after the Croatian qualifier beat Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-2, 7-6 (6). Fernando Verdasco beat Tommy Robredo 6-3, 6-4 in an all-Spanish match. He will play Marin Cilic of Croatia. Also, David Goffin of Belgium beat Pablo Andujar of Spain 6-2, 6-2. Bryans on top American twins Bob and Mike Bryan will end the tennis season on top of the world for a record eighth time, the sport's governing body said Monday. The Olympic gold medalists are the only doubles team to win at least five titles for 10 consecutive years, and won a record-equaling 12th Grand Slam title at the US Open last month. The Bryans hold the record for winning the most doubles team titles (82) since tennis turned professional in 1968. Azarenka, Serena in same group World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka was Sunday handed a chance to avenge her US Open final defeat to Serena Williams when she was drawn alongside the American at the WTA Championships in Istanbul. Azarenka and Williams will also face Li Na and Angelique Kerber in the round-robin Red Group at the eight-woman, season-ending event, which starts Tuesday. That left Maria Sharapova, another front-runner for the title, with a slightly less difficult looking quartet, even though the White Group includes the defending champion, Petra Kvitova, as well as Agnieszka Radwanska and Sara Errani. — Agencies
