Frances Tiafoe on the cusp of top ten of ATP Rankings

James Richardson 10 Apr 2023 4:35 PM

Frances Tiafoe is on the cusp of breaking into the top ten of the ATP Rankings for the first time in his career.

Tiafoe moves up to No 11 in the rankings just one place outside the top ten and also one place behind American No 1 Taylor Fritz.

His win at the US Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston sees him jump four places in the rankings to a new career-high.

Tiafoe has no points to defend in Monte Carlo this week, while Fritz must match his run to the last eight in 2022 if he wants to remain the American No 1.

After a run to the title in Estoril, Casper Ruud has reversed his trending direction on the ATP Rankings and moved back above Miami Open champion Daniil Medvedev and into fourth.

Ruud had a disappointing run in Monte Carlo last season, winning just once to reach the third round.

However, that leaves him as one of the players capable of getting themselves into the World No 1 frame around the French Open.

A title win in Monte Carlo would only be good enough to move up to third for Ruud with World No 2 Carlos Alcaraz and No 1 Novak Djokovic well out of reach.

Estoril finalist Miomir Kecmanovic also made a big move as he advanced six places up to World No 34.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is out to try and defend his full house of points from last season and an early exit could see him drop from third to fifth on the men’s rankings ladder.

Rafael Nadal’s slow slide down the rankings continued as he slipped down to world No 15.

Compatriot Roberto Carballes Baena surged up the rankings this week after the 30-year-old won the Grand Prix Hassan II.

Carballes Baena moves up 33 places to break back into the top 50 of the rankings having defeated three seeded players on his way to winning the title in Morroco. His jump is the highest for any player in the top 100 this week.

Beaten finalist Alexandre Muller also made a 30 place surge to break into the top 100 of the rankings.

Houston runner-up Tomas Martin Etcheverry is up 14 spots to occupy the 59th spot on the rankings this week.

Italian journeyman Marco Cecchinato makes good progress thanks to his semi-final run and the former Top 20 players is now World No 81.