The ATP ranking: Djokovic is still at the top, but at Roland Garros he will put the number 1 on the line again

Less than a week before the start of Roland Garros, the ranking moves, in a stretch of the season with many points at stake. Some certainties: the victory at the Masters 1000 in Rome, in his first title of the year, gave a break to Novak Djokovic, which took a bit of distance at the top of the rankings. The Serbian reached 8660 points and this Monday begins its 370th week as leader of the circuit, with which he extends the record of the top pointer in the classification.

Of course: in Paris, to Djokovic (8660) you will have to defend 2000 points as last season’s champion, something not easy at all. The consecration in Rome allowed him to add 400 points (he had been a finalist in 2021, which meant revalidating 600 points). In this way, he took 680 units ahead of the Russian Daniil Medvedev (7980), his closest pursuer. But it will be necessary to see how the Muscovite arrives in Paris, on a surface that is not his favorite -although last year he reached the quarterfinals-, and with little or no filming, due to a hernia for which he had to undergo surgery and forced him to miss the entire European slow court tour. Except for an unexpected setback in the first wheels, Djokovic would be in a position to keep the first step.

Can there be a third party in discord? The current podium is completed with Alexander Zverev (7200), who is today 1460 points below Djokovic. The German must also defend 720 points as a semifinalist in 2021. But he could close the gap if he manages to equal or better that performance, and if Nole fails to rank in the top four of the tournament.

The best of the Rome final

In the last week, the main change is the return of Stefanos Tsitsipas to number 4 in the ranking, replacing Rafael Nadal, which falls to fifth position. This is important: the exit from the Top 4 will leave the left-hander from Manacor out of the top four seeds, which could force him to cross paths with one of the Top 4 – including Djokovic – before the semifinals. We will have to wait, on the one hand, for the draw for the main draw that will take place on Friday, and on the other hand, to see how Nadal arrives at his favorite appointment, after the problems that he showed in his left foot during his elimination in Rome, for a chronic injury. The situation is not easy for Rafa, worried about a physical problem that is difficult to resolve, days before the tournament in which he could go in search of his 22nd Grand Slam.

In sixth place appears Carlos Alcaraz, the great revelation of the year, who arrives rested because he did not go to Rome after becoming champion in Madrid. The player born in El Palmar has little to defend (115 points) and a lot to add in Paris. Like Nadal, he could have a crossover with a Top 4 in the quarterfinals, although in his case the others should be concerned: against the top ten in the ranking, Alcaraz totals 11 wins and just 6 fallswho are 8-2 so far in 2022 and have seven straight wins against opponents in the Top 10.

As for the Argentines, Diego Schwartzman he gave up 255 points and that made him go back one locker, to 16th place. El Peque must revalidate 360 ​​points this year, and if it does not reach the second week it could complicate its permanence in the Top 20. Francisco Cerundolo He climbed 5 positions and is 44th, the best position of his career. The one who lost out was Federico Delbonis: Couldn’t defend his strong showing at Rome 2021, dropping from 39th to 62nd.

This is the Top 10

The Argentines

16. Diego Schwartzman 2505

38. Sebastian Baez 1149

44. Francisco Cerúndolo 1041

59. Federico Coria 937

62. Federico Delbonis 919

90. Tomas Martin Etcheverry 715

98. Facundo Bagnis 663