Carlos Alcaraz leaps above Novak Djokovic in tennis rankings as Emma Raducanu moves up

Kevin Palmer
Carlos Alcaraz has discussed Novak Djokovic's longevity ahead of the 2024 US Open
Carlos Alcaraz has discussed Novak Djokovic's longevity

The ATP Rankings may not reflect results from last weekend’s Laver Cup, but they have had an impact on the updated UTR Rankings.

Carlos Alcaraz’s sparking performances in Berlin allowed the 21-year-old Spaniard to leap above Novak Djokovic in the updated UTR list, with Jannik Sinner still the clear leader in the No 1 position.

Alexander Zverev is sitting at No 2 in the ATP Rankings, but he is one place behind Djokovic in the UTR list, with Taylor Fritz at No 5, Daniil Medvedev at No 6 and Andrey Rublev at No 7.

Britain’s Jack Draper briefly broke into the top 10 of the UTR Rankings after his impressive run to the semi-finals of the US Open earlier this month, but he has dipped down to No 11 in the updated list.

The UTR Rankings are calculated using a different method to the traditional ATP list, with the current form and the ranking of your opponent taken into account when the final analysis is made.

The official top 20 are: Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, Alex de Minaur, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Grigor Dimitrov, Jack Draper, Casper Ruud, Tommy Paul, Jan-Lennard Struff, Tomas Machac, Brandon Nakashima, Hubert Hurkacz, Matteo Berrettini, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Frances Tiafoe.

The method for calculating the UTR ratings differs greatly from the rolling ATP list, which ranks players based on the points they collect over 52 weeks.

Victories against higher-ranked played are worth more in the UTR list than the official ATP or WTA Ranking, meaning they offer up a more accurate reflection of the current form at the top of the game.

The UTR Rankings are based on the current form from the last few weeks and months rather than reflecting results that occurred up to a year ago, with the system created to promote fair and competitive play across the tennis world.

All players, regardless of age, gender, geography, or skill level, are rated on the same scale between 1.00 and 16.50 based on actual match results.

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The UTR Ranking is open to players of all levels of the game and the algorithm used provides an intriguing insight at the top of the game.

In the women’s UTR Rankings, Iga Swiatek is the clear world No 1, with recently crowned US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka moving back up to No 2 ahead of Elena Rybakina.

With Rybakina opting to take time away from the WTA Tour due to her ongoing issues, Sabalenka leapt above the Kazakstan star.

The women’s top 20 are: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula, Paula Badosa, Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, Yulia Putintseva, Danielle Collins, Karolina Muchova, Zheng Qinwen, Victoria Azarenka, Jasmine Paolini, Mirra Andreeva, Emma Navarro, Diana Shnaider, Maria Sakkari, Amanda Anisimova, Daria Kasatkina and Naomi Osaka.

There is also some encouragement for Emma Raducanu in the UTR Rankings, with her run to the quarter-finals of the Qatar Open firing her up to No 26 in the updated UTR list.

That compares favourably to Raducanu’s WTA Ranking of No 54, but she may struggle to improve on both rankings after confirming she is taking some time away from tennis after she damaged foot ligaments and was forced to pull out of her Qatar Open last eight match against Daria Kasatkina.

The 21-year-old wrote on X: “Hello, last week in Seoul I sprained some ligaments in my foot which unfortunately need some more time to heal.

“It means I can’t play in Beijing but I hope to be back competing as soon as I can.”

Injuries have dogged Raducanu since her shock triumph at Flushing Meadows three years ago and she spent much of 2023 recovering from surgery to her wrists and ankle.

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