Novak Djokovic rankings drop confirmed as Jack Draper hits epic new milestone

Oli Dickson Jefford 01 May 2025 6:53 PM

Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper.

Novak Djokovic is set to fall back outside the top five of the ATP Rankings after Jack Draper’s impressive victory in the quarter-final of the Madrid Open.

Draper, the fifth seed in Madrid, continued his fine form with an emphatic 6-0, 6-4 quarter-final win over Matteo Arnaldi – the man who beat Djokovic back in round two.

Djokovic’s opening-match exit in Madrid means he will only gain 10 ranking points come next Monday’s ATP Rankings update, moving up to a total of 4,130 points.

That is a total of points that Draper has now improved upon thanks to his run to the last four, his first such run at a clay-court Masters 1000 event.

The 23-year-old now holds 4,190 points in the ATP Live Rankings and, while he cannot move any high than fifth in Madrid, he would hold 4,790 ranking points if he were to win the title.

Draper’s rise to the top five extends a dramatic rise for the Brit, who had never been seeded at a Grand Slam until Wimbledon last year.

He only cracked the top 20 of the ATP Rankings after his run to the US Open semi-final last September and debuted in the top 10 after winning his first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells in March.

The Brit was already the fourth-highest-ranked man from his country in ATP Rankings history, and will become just the fourth to crack the top five.

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Draper follows in the footsteps of former world No 1 Andy Murray, the only British man to top the ATP Rankings, and Greg Rusedski and Tim Henman, who both peaked at world No 4.

While it is only good news for Draper, it is undeniably a further blow for Djokovic, who was already guaranteed not to be a top-four seed at the French Open.

The Serbian’s Italian Open withdrawal meant it was impossible for him to be ranked inside the top four ahead of the second Grand Slam of the year, and he will be down to at least world No 6 come Monday.

Djokovic could fall to world No 7 if Lorenzo Musetti wins the Madrid Open title, with the Italian projected to hold 4,150 points – 20 more than the 37-year-old – should that be the case.

The Serbian, who celebrates his 38th birthday later this month, could find himself outside the top eight should results go against him in Rome.

He is currently not set to be in action until the second Grand Slam event of the year at Roland Garros, which begins on May 25th.

However, it is possible he could take a wildcard into the Hamburg Open or Geneva Open, which both take place the week prior.

Djokovic took a late wildcard into the Geneva Open in 2024, reaching the last four.