Portuguese tennis player Francisco Cabral has made history by becoming the first from his nation to enter the top 20 of any world tennis ranking, a milestone achieved amidst a fierce bid for a spot in the ATP Finals.
Cabral, 28, rose to the 20th position in the ATP doubles ranking this week. This follows his strong recent performances, including a finalist spot at the ATP 500 Vienna and a semifinalist run at the Masters 1000 Paris.
Alongside Austrian partner Lucas Miedler, Cabral is currently 11th in the ATP Race for Turin, aiming for an alternate spot in the prestigious ATP Finals.
Their qualification hinges on winning the ATP 250 Athens tournament, which began this week. They also need their rivals, French pair Sadio Dombia and Fabien Reboul, to lose before the semifinals.
Should they secure the 10th spot as alternates, Cabral is guaranteed approximately $26,500 USD, even if they do not play in Turin. The pair only began playing together in April, making their rapid ascent particularly notable.
Separately, fellow Portuguese player Henrique Rocha, ranked 167th, ended a three-match losing streak in Asia. Rocha advanced at the Challenger Matsuyama after defeating local wild card Kokoro Isomura in three sets.
Another Portuguese player, Nuno Borges, ranked 47th, is set to play American Eliott Spizzirri in the second round of the ATP 250 Athens on Tuesday evening. Both Borges and Spizzirri have backgrounds in collegiate tennis.