Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz face alarming rankings collapse after US Open
There has been a three-way battle at the top of the men’s game in 2024, but there is every chance two of that trio of stars will be going backwards in the ATP Rankings by the end of the US Open.
Jannik Sinner started 2024 on fire as he won his first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open and backed that up by winning titles in Rotterdam and Miami.
That run of form secured the Italian a leap to the world No 1 ranking and his position looks secure at the top of the rankings for the foreseeable future, whatever happens at the US Open.
Yet that security is not there for his two big rivals, with Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic set for a slide down the rankings unless they win the title in New York.
Alcaraz won the French Open and Wimbledon titles during the European summer, but that was not enough to propel the Spaniard back to the top of the ATP Rankings.
The Spaniard reached the semi-finals of the US Open last year, so he needs to reach the final or win his second title in New York to improve his ranking.
Meanwhile, long-time No 1 Djokovic has slipped down the pecking order after failing to spark in the opening half of 2023, with his hopes of a return to Np 1 looking forlorn.
The Serbian legend is defending 2,000 ATP points from his win at the US Open last year, so he can’t improve on his points tally over the next two weeks and anything less than a successful title defence will see Djokovic slide down the rankings.
Alcaraz and Djokovic’s challenges to maintain their ranking at the final major of 2024 opens the door for Alexander Zverev to rise to No 2 in the rankings and that is where the German is sitting in the current live ATP Rankings.
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Zverev went out of the US Open after a defeat against Alcaraz in the quarter-finals last year, so he has a chance to improve on that in 2024 and he started his campaign in New York on Monday with a 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 win against fellow Germany Maximilian Marterer.
Zverev is in the opposite half of the draw to Sinner and Alcaraz, so he would not meet either of those until the final.
He does face the prospect of a match-up with Djokovic if both players reach the semi-finals and if that transpires, he will have a chance to seal the No 2 ranking in the ATP list.
Former British No 1 Tim Henman made a bold prediction that Zverev may emerge from a US Open draw that is unpredictable after a hectic few weeks of action that included the Olympic Games.
With Sinner struggling to work through his hip problem and avoid the noise around his failed drug test controversy, there are doubts over the Italian’s focus and fitness at the US Open.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz and Djokovic may be jaded after their Olympic heroics, with tennis legend John McEnroe suggesting that could open the door for a player like Zverev to win his first Grand Slam.
“You have Sinner with all the stuff going on around him, Alcaraz coming back from everything he has achieved and Novak going in after finally winning the Olympics. That’s why I say the door is open for a surprise winner at this US Open,” McEnroe said as he joined the Eurosport team at the US Open.
“Maybe Zverev can do something. Maybe (Andrey) Rublev can get a better draw and finally get past a quarter-final in a Slam.
“Having said that, I’d still probably pick one of the three guys (Sinner, Alcaraz or Djokovic) to win the title.”
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