Tennis’ Big 3 of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer will not occupy a spot in the top two of the world for the first time in 19 years. The latest world rankings have adjusted, and the new rankings have provided a seismic shift towards the end of a golden era for men’s tennis.
Points from the 2020 and 2021 editions of Roland Garros fell off the ATP rankings today, which has undoubtedly led to some major updates – particularly at the top of the pack. Daniil Medvedev has returned to the summit of the sport, after the Russian spent three weeks atop the rankings from February 28 to March 20.
The reigning US Open champion jumps up a spot to World No 1 after he reached the 24th ATP final of his career – and second on grass – in ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. Alexander Zverev has also risen a spot to reach a career-high of World No 2 despite not playing this week as he is nursing an ankle injury sustained during the French Open semi-finals, where he was forced to retire.
However, Djokovic slips from World No 1 to No 3 after earning 360 points in Paris for making the quarter-finals, where he fell to Nadal. The Serb’s 2,000 points – awarded to the winner of the French Open – from 2021 dropped off the rankings radar this week. Nadal, who secured his 22nd Grand Slam title on the Parisian clay, clocks in at No 4.
With rival and fellow icon Roger Federer down at No 68, this week marks the first time since the week beginning November 10, 2003 that none of tennis’ so-called Big 3 are in the top two spots of the ATP rankings. Back then, Andy Roddick was the world’s best player with Federer third while Nadal was 47th, and Djokovic was ranked as World No 680.
Federer would rise to No 2 on November 17 2003, and since then at least one of the Big 3 would be in the top two positions at any given time until today. It ends a sensational run of more than 18 and a half years, and 947 weeks of ATP rankings (not including the 22 weeks the ATP rankings were inactive due to the Covid pandemic in 2020).
Medvedev will be spending his fourth career week at No 1 on the ATP rankings while Casper Ruud makes his debut in the top five, rising from No 6 to No 5 a week after reaching his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros. Stefanos Tsitsipas drops his finalist’s points from 2021 this week, causing him to dip down from fifth to sixth.
Ruud is the first Norwegian in ATP rankings history to break into the top five. A little further down the ATP rankings, one of last week’s standout players in Andy Murray has made a big move. The Brit, who reached the Stuttgart final before agonisingly missing out to Matteo Berrettini, rises from No 68 to No 47 – his first time in the top 50 since returning to the tour from his first hip surgery in 2018.
