Spain’s young tennis Carlos Alcaraz is unlikely to reclaim
the top spot in the ATP rankings this year.
The 20-year-old became the talk of the town after beating
Serbia’s legendary tennis player Novak Djokovic in a five-set thrilling final
of Wimbledon 2023 in July earlier this year with a score of 1–6, 7–6(8–6), 6–1, 3–6, 6–4.
However, Alcaraz’s title defence at the Flashing Medows did
not go down as per the plan where he lost to Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the
semifinal with a score of 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 on Friday.
That result will not go down well as it means that the El
Palmar-born will not only lose the top spot in the ATP rankings but he will not
be able to reclaim it in the remainder of the season as well.
Djokovic, who has already booked his place in the final of
the US Open after defeating America’s Ben Shelton in straight sets with a score
of 6-3, 6-2, 7-6, is set to overtake Alcaraz to become the world number one
player from Monday, September 11.
Alcaraz, who started the competition with 9,815 points,
dropped 2,000 points for defending the title and managed to win only 720 points to reach the semifinal of the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year.
Therefore, his total points tally after the US Open will be close to 8,500.
On the other hand, Djokovic started the mega-event with 9,575
points and has already claimed at least 1,200 points after reaching the final, thus
taking his overall points tally closer to 11,000.
Therefore, it is nearly impossible for Alcaraz to overcome
this difference in the remainder of the ATP tour this year which will be
completed in the next two months.
Djokovic will face off against the current world number three Medvedev in the rematch of the US
Open 2021 final in New York on Sunday.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.