Novak Djokovic handed huge US Open rankings boost as first Cincinnati Open finalist is confirmed
Novak Djokovic has been given a major boost on the eve of the US Open, as he now looks set to secure a prized top four seeding for the final Grand Slam of 2026.
Even though he has played fewer tournaments than his rivals at the top of the men’s game this year as he favours a limited schedule that is focused on targeting the major championships, the 39-year-old has managed to maintain his position in fifth place in the ATP Rankings.
With world No 1 Jannik Sinner confirming he will not be play at the US Open due to a knee injury, the fifth ranked player is set to secure the No 4 seeding spot, with Djokovic now on course to seal that position after Flavio Cobolli lost his Cincinnati Open semi-final against Arthur Fils.
French Open finalist Cobolli would have overtaken Djokovic in the rankings if he reached the final in Cincinnati, but he lost 6-3, 6-4 in a match that lasted just 68 minutes.
The significance being the No 4 seed compared to being one place lower means he would avoid a clash with top seed Carlos Alcaraz or No 2 seed Alexander Zverev until the semi-finals at the earliest.
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After losing his only warm-up match against Argentina’s Thiago Agustin Tirante as he struggled with the heat in Cincinnati, a run to the semi-finals in New York may seem ambitious.
Yet Djokovic is a different beast when Grand Slam events roll around and with Sinner missing the US Open and doubts over Alcaraz’s fitness as he returns to the court for the first time since injuring his wrist in April at the Barcelona Open, the door may be open for Novak to win the 25th Grand Slam title he has been chasing since winning his last majorr title at the 2023 US Open.
Fils may also believe he has a chance to challenge for his first Grand Slam in New York as he looks back to his best after a year troubled by injury.
The convincing form he showed in brushing aside Cobolli pushed him closer to a place in the top 10 of the ATP Rankings and if he wins the final on Sunday, he will head into the US Open as one of the dark horses to go all the way.
“I was very happy with the performance,” Fils said. “I started pretty slow. I was a bit tight, but I think from 4-3 in the first set when I won those long rallies, just the momentum came my way and I felt so much better.
“Especially on the serve, because in the first couple of games I didn’t serve good at all, and then after it was very good. So I’m very happy with the performance.”
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Cobolli’s performance was a little confusing, as he struggled to get his teeth into the match and surrendered weakly to allow Fils to boost his place in a first ATP Masters 1000 final.
Despite this defeat, Cobolli will still hit a new milestone on Monday as he will leap up four places to No 6 and he will have a chance to go even higher if he has a good run at the US Open.
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