Alcaraz Soars To Sixth In Rankings After Madrid Romp

 

Spanish teen sensation Carlos Alcaraz rose three places to sixth in the men’s ATP rankings following his victory in the Madrid Open on Sunday.

The 19-year-old’s 6-3, 6-1 trouncing of Germany’s Alexander Zverev in Madrid was his fourth title of the year and rubber-stamped his chances of lifting his first Grand Slam in the upcoming French Open.

He had beaten his compatriot Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the way to the final.

The only worry for Alcaraz is a sore ankle which will see him miss this week’s Rome tournament in order to be fit for the French Open which gets underway on May 22.

Djokovic retains his number one ranking — number two Daniil Medvedev is due to return to action at next week’s Geneva Open after recovering from a hernia operation — while Australian Open champion Nadal remains at four.

Two players in the top 10 are on the slide as Italy’s Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, who has yet to play on clay this season as he recovers from an operation on his right hand, drops two spots to eighth and Norwegian Casper Ruud slips to 10th from seventh.

Rankings (players representing Russia and Belarus are banned from competing under the name or flag of Russia or Belarus until further notice):

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,260 pts

2. Daniil Medvedev 7,990

3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 7,020

4. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6,435

5. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 5,750

6. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 4,773 (+3)

7. Andrey Rublev 4,115 (+1)

8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 3,895 (-2)

9. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 3,760 (+1)

10. Casper Ruud (NOR) 3,760 (-3)

11. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 3,380

12. Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 3,130 (+2)

13. Jannik Sinner (ITA) 3,060 (-1)

14. Taylor Fritz (USA) 2,965 (-1)

15. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,760

16. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,671

17. Reilly Opelka (USA) 2,440

18. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) 2,135

19. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 1,993

20. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1,830

AFP