Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud or Rafael Nadal? Who needs what to win No. 1 race after US Open?
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Updated 06/09/2022 at 10:30 GMT
With Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas’ dreams of world No. 1 over, we look at who could end the US Open in top spot. The remaining three pretenders are Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Rafael Nadal, with each requiring a certain set of circumstances to top the ATP Tour world rankings. Nadal will now be watching with intrigue to see if he can return to the summit, despite his early exit.
US Open highlights: Nadal stunned by Tiafoe, Swiatek battles back to beat Niemeier
The race to reach world No. 1 has taken another twist after Rafael Nadal bowed out of the US Open on Monday, although the Spaniard is still one of three players in the frame for the coveted top spot in the ATP rankings.
The other contenders, Carlos Alcaraz and Casper Ruud, now have twin aims in New York: win a maiden Grand Slam and stop Nadal from returning to the top of the charts.
Daniil Medvedev is certain to be replaced at the top of the rankings after his blockbuster defeat to Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round, while Stefanos Tsitsipas blew his chance after his astonishing first-round exit to Colombia's Daniel Elahi Galan.
The ATP world rankings - in operation since 1973 and allowing for historical comparisons across eras - were headed by Medvedev on 6,880 points ahead of the tournament, with Nadal - thanks to his two major wins at the Australian Open and French Open in 2022 - in second on 5,630.
In third was Alcaraz on 4,470 points who, despite not getting past the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam this year, has won two Masters 1000 titles.
Behind him was Tsitsipas, but the Greek will narrow the gap no further after his exit, then came Casper Ruud with 4,695 points.
Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic were second and sixth respectively, but the former missed out from the US Open with injury, while the latter was unable to enter the US due to his Covid-19 unvaccinated status.
Nadal has banked 5,810 points, making that the target for Alcaraz and Ruud at Flushing Meadows.
THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE NO. 1 RACE
Nadal will be No. 1 if:
- neither Alcaraz or Ruud make the final
Alcaraz will be No. 1 if:
- he wins the title
- he reaches the final and Ruud doesn't win the title
Ruud will be No. 1 if:
- he wins the title
- he reaches the final and Alcaraz doesn't win the title
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US Open highlights: Alcaraz books Sinner showdown after beating Cilic in 2.30am finish
'I need to fix things' - Nadal hints at break after shock Tiafoe loss
Frances Tiafoe toppled Nadal to scoop the biggest win of his career, prompting the Spaniard to suggest he could take some time away from tennis.
“I need to fix things, life, then I don't know when I'm going to come back,” said Nadal, who is an expectant father with wife Mery Perello.
“I am going to try to be ready mentally. When I feel that I will be ready to compete again, I will be there.
“Of course, this was not the ideal preparation for me. But in other cases it went the right way, even with not the perfect preparation, no? We can't find excuses. We need to be enough [of a] critic with myself. That's the only way to improve or that's the only way that I understand you are able to find solutions.
“I have been practising well the week before, honestly. But then when the competition started, my level went down. That's the truth. For some reason, I don't know, mental issues in terms of a lot of things happened the last couple of months. Maybe, but it doesn't matter.
“At the end the only thing that happened is we went to the fourth round of the US Open and I faced a player that was better than me. And that's why I am having a plane back home.”
'I should get more points', bemoans Medvedev
After his four-set defeat to Kyrgios, Medvedev said losing his top ranking would give him motivation in the future.
“I'm not going to cry in the room, but I'm a little bit disappointed. For a few days I'm going to be just a little bit sad, looking at my phone, my laptop or watching some series," he said.
“It was not the first thing on my mind after the match, saying, ‘Damn, will not be the world No. 1 any more’.
“I actually don't know which place I will be. Probably 3, 4. I guess Carlos will pass me. I don't know actually.
“But that's motivation, try to do better. Obviously it was the last Slam of the year. I didn't do well enough. I didn't win in Australia when I had the chance.
“I didn't get the chance to play Wimbledon. Roland-Garros, lost fourth round. Here fourth round. Yeah, I should do better. I should get more points if I want to be world No. 1 again.”
Tsitsipas rues 'overthinking' No. 1 chance
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Tsitsipas' defeat to Galan was already shocking enough on paper, let alone the fact he lost the first 11 games to sit 6-0 5-0 down.
As he candidly explained afterwards, he felt the chance to be No. 1 clouded his play.
“I was very motivated and pumped before the US Open started because I knew I could use this tournament to get closer to the No. 1 spot," Tsitsipas said.
“It would be very weird and very unusual if it didn’t cross my mind because this is something I wanted since I was a kid and I know this is my chance now to step it up.
“It just didn’t go as planned. Sometimes you just need to let it go, you don’t need to overthink it, you don’t need to push yourself too hard, but at the same time it’s difficult because there is this open opportunity right in front of you, you don’t want to mess it up, you don’t want to waste it.
“My chances, I guess, are a bit smaller. The margin is not as thin as it used to be now after the US Open, but I’m still going to try and add points to my ranking, as much as I can until the end of the year. I really want to perhaps finish in the top three… more opportunities ahead.”
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