The earthquake of the incredible victory of Rafael Nadal against Daniil Medvedev, Sunday in the final of the Australian Open, did not really cause tremors in the world ranking, delivered this Monday morning. Expelled from Australia due to the refusal of local authorities to issue him a visa due to the health situation, Novak Djokovic has not lost everything. Not yet… If he could only observe, powerless, at the coronation of Nadal who becomes the first player in history to win 21 Grand Slam titles, the Serb remains for the moment the master of the circuit, the world number 1.
But Djoko’s reign may soon be shaken by Medvedev. The latter should even overthrow him from his throne, which he has occupied for 122 weeks in a row. The Russian, who could have become world number 1 if successful in Australia, is only 890 points behind the Serb. Djokovic, who began his 358th week on Monday – a record – at the head of world tennis should fall from his rank in the coming weeks.
He benefits until February 21 from the points he had acquired during his success in Melbourne last year. The ranking established by the ATP indeed rolls over a year and the first Grand Slam of the year had been postponed to February in 2021 due to the health situation. His likely absence from the next tournament tour in the United States – due to his refusal to be vaccinated – should only confirm his slide in the rankings. Inexorably.
The podium is completed by the German Alexander Zverev. The Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, semi-finalist in Melbourne, is the last member of this magic square.
Nadal’s great comeback
Entering a little more in the history of world tennis and sport in general after his 21st Grand Slam title, Rafael Nadal remains in a very anecdotal 5th place. Far from the place it occupies in the annals and in the hearts of tennis fans. He could even add a unit to his treasure and glean a 22nd coronation, “in his garden” from Roland Garros in May. The only change in the world Top 10, the Italian Matteo Berrettini climbs one place, to 6th place.
The main information of this new ranking is the release of Roger Federer’s Top 20. The former world number 1, now 40 years old, slips 13 places and is now in 30th place. The Bâlois was one of the 20 best players on the circuit since the week of April 23, 2001, almost 21 years old. The one who now leads him in the standings, the new Spanish prodigy Carlos Alcaraz, 18, was not even born at the time.
A logical fall since the Swiss, handicapped by physical problems and operated for the 3rd time on his right knee last August, has not set foot on the circuit for months and his defeat in the Wimbledon quarter-finals in July . Federer hopes to make his comeback from next summer. For a final farewell tour?
Author of a fanfare start to the season with a victory at the ATP 250 tournament in Adelaide then a quarter-final at the Australian Open, lost to the Italian colossus Matteo Berrettini (6-4, 6-4, 3- 6, 3-6, 6-2 in 3:49), Gaël Monfils climbs four places to settle in 16th position in the ATP.
Still on the French side, Adrian Mannarino, eliminated in the round of 16 by Nadal in Melbourne, and Corentin Moutet both jumped 11 places. They are ranked 58th and 89th respectively in the world. Benoît Paire, 54th in the world, gains two places and Richard Gasquet, 75th, six ranks.
