The Rankings Thread (ATP)

[PhiEaglesfan712]

Rafa still thinks he is 2022 Nadal. Choosing to play on the clay so he could appease Carlos and his country for another gold medal when he had two already. Why did he feel if he won a 3rd it would enhance his career? Yes it was a bad loss regardless if Nadal legs was a bit jaded. That's what he signed up for.

I hope he thinks he's the post-US Open 2022 version that struggled to win a match, and not the one that dominated the early part of the season through Indian Wells, lol.

In all seriousness, I think Rafa is starting to come to his senses. I think even he knows it's just about over, and I'm almost sure he played his last slam event. At this point, if Rafa plays another singles tournament, it will be a 250/500 event on clay of his picking to try to end on a winning note. Who knows, he may even give it another go at Bastad next July to redeem himself. I think that if Rafa had won the Bastad final, he would have ended his singles career on that title and played doubles only in the Olympics.

 

[El Dude]

If you look at the careers of just about any player, no matter how great, there's a period of wind down where they seemingly haven't accepted the fact that they are no longer the player they were. I mean, some guys play for years beyond that point - think of Wilander, Hewitt, Murray. I think it is too easy to consider this to be due to denial--though that's likely part of it, at least for some. But a lot of it might be that they feel good on certain days, so hope to be able combine those across a whole tournament.

Rafa also has the memory of 2015-16, when he spent two years as essentially a second tier player. He resurged in 2017 and had an Agassi-esque "second peak" for the next half decade. Maybe he feels like he can do that again, at least for one big tournament (namely, Roland Garros).

Or maybe he just still loves playing tennis and competing, and doesn't feel like playing a bit beyond his best years will tarnish his legacy (which it won't, except to a few who get hung up on such things).

I suspect he'll give RG one more go. Unlike this year, he'll have a better sense of the gap between where he's at and where he needs to be. He was absent for over a year, which as I've said before is a bit like getting back on a moving train. Now he knows the speed of the train relative to his running.

 

[Jelenafan]

It’s not a huge head scratcher that Rafa IMO wanted to play a couple of years to see if he’s really done.

If the flashes of brillance never reappear there are no regrets, but I think its more some of the fans (and the haters of course) who have an arbitrary retirement date for him.

The body will dictate to him, just like Tom Brady simply did not want to through one more conditioning for a football season.

It’s the “suffering” that Rafa may walk away from, not the losses perse.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Not much movement in the rankings of the Top Ten, except after winning the China Open, Carlos Alcaraz has leapfrogged Zverev into 2nd place.

Top Ten ( after China Open) Saturday 5th October

1. Sinner 11,010 points
2. Alcaraz 7,010 (+1)
3. Zverev 6,705 (-1)
4. Djokovic 5,560
5. Medvedev 5,375
6. Rublev 4,700
7. Fritz 4,060
8. Hurkacz 4,060 Both Fritz and Hurkacz are on the same amount of points I double checked
9. Ruud 3,965
10. Dimitrov 3,840

 

[El Dude]

ATP race rankings are kind of interesting:

1. Sinner 9340
2. Alcaraz 6520
3. Zverev 6125
4. Medvedev 4670
5. Fritz 3900
6. Ruud 3795
7. Rublev 3580
8. De Minaur 3305
9. Djokovic 3270
10. Dimitrov 2845

No surprises in the top 10, but what surprised me is that Fritz is 5th. Also, Novak has an outside chance of not making the top 10.

Anyhow, there's 4000 points available through Shanghai, Paris, Vienna/Basel and the WTF. It is very unlikely that Alcaraz catches Sinner, being 2820 behind. There's a big gap in points from 3 and 4, but the rest is up for grabs.

Oh, Arthur Fils is currently #19 in the race rankings, so he's moving up and has a good chance of finishing in the YE top 20.

 

[Moxie]

ATP race rankings are kind of interesting:

1. Sinner 9340
2. Alcaraz 6520
3. Zverev 6125
4. Medvedev 4670
5. Fritz 3900
6. Ruud 3795
7. Rublev 3580
8. De Minaur 3305
9. Djokovic 3270
10. Dimitrov 2845

No surprises in the top 10, but what surprised me is that Fritz is 5th. Also, Novak has an outside chance of not making the top 10.

Anyhow, there's 4000 points available through Shanghai, Paris, Vienna/Basel and the WTF. It is very unlikely that Alcaraz catches Sinner, being 2820 behind. There's a big gap in points from 3 and 4, but the rest is up for grabs.

Oh, Arthur Fils is currently #19 in the race rankings, so he's moving up and has a good chance of finishing in the YE top 20.

Yes, Fritz has been surprising. I wonder how hard Novak will fight to make the YEC? Is it still "bucket list?" I doubt Alcaraz catches Sinner for YE #1 unless Sinner has a big sink. Also, Tsitsipas is not that far out of the top 10. Will he salvage a rather woeful year?

 

[El Dude]

Yes, Fritz has been surprising. I wonder how hard Novak will fight to make the YEC? Is it still "bucket list?" I doubt Alcaraz catches Sinner for YE #1 unless Sinner has a big sink. Also, Tsitsipas is not that far out of the top 10. Will he salvage a rather woeful year?

I'm guessing Novak is playing to improve his form, to see if he can, really. But I think his eye is on the AO. I imagine he just wants more Slams. WTF is nice, but at this point in his career, it probably less about the title itself and more about what the title would say about his ability.

 

[Jelenafan]

Two 22 year olds are at career high rankings; UK’s Jack Draper has reached # 19 and Italy’s own Flavio Cobolli is at # 29.

 

[El Dude]

Zverev in a year or two besides Alcaraz & Sinner will have to deal with an even younger generation coming up. It must be weird for him to be a veteran and once Djokovic is gone at the very top level he will be the old man. (Well, so is Medvedev but he was never the touted wunderkind like Zverev & Dimitrov has never really lived up to his promise)

Yes, true. Fils continues to develop and should be top 10. Mensik looks like he's not far behind. And then Fonzie, and a few others. Crazy that Sascha is 27 already. He's older than Edberg was when he won his last Slam (26). Of course he's younger than Stan was when he won his first of three, so there's always hope. And Goran--who isn't all that different from Sascha--won his only Slam at 29 years old, though in a period when the field was weaker than it is now.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

New Career Highs On ATP Top 100, Monday 14th October,

19. Draper
25. Machac
49. Shang
51. Mensik
69. Muller
70. Bergs

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

ATP Top Ten, Monday 14th October,

1. Sinner 11,920 points
2. Alcaraz 7,120
3. Zverev 6,795
4. Djokovic 6,210
5. Medvedev 5,530
6. Fritz 4,415 (+1)
7. Rublev 4,110 (-1)
8. Ruud 3,885 (+1)
9. De Minaur 3,620 (+2)
10. Dimitrov 3,580

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Race after Shanghai Masters, Monday 14th October, ( Djokovic looks to be on his way to the end of year championships)

1. Sinner 10,330 Q
2. Alcaraz 6,710 Q
3. Zverev 6,215 Q
4. Medvedev 4,820
5. Frtiz 4,920
6. Djokovic 3, 910 (+3)
7. Ruud 3,795 (-1)
8. Rublev 3,580 (-1)

9. De Minaur 3,305 (-1)
10. Dimitrov 2,935

 

[El Dude]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but Jannik clinched the YE #1 ranking with his Shanghai win.

 

[Moxie]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but Jannik clinched the YE #1 ranking with his Shanghai win.

Didn't do the math, but figured he was untouchable.

 

[El Dude]

Didn't do the math, but figured he was untouchable.

He's been pretty untouchable since the US Open, but the official clinching was with Shanghai.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but Jannik clinched the YE #1 ranking with his Shanghai win.

I put it on the ATP News when he won his SF match at Shanghai, I forgot to put it on the ranking post oops

 

[Fiero425]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this, but Jannik clinched the YE #1 ranking with his Shanghai win.

Sinner's been far & away the best player if results are the only dynamic! It isn't as cut & dry w/ a WADA investigation hanging over his head! Carlos needs to "pull back" a lit'l to make his results more consistent! I guess winning China Open helped, but his results in the FALL have reminded me of Nadal's; totally spent going into the YEC! Sinner & Alcaraz have officially taken over it seems as they're making final after final! Time may have run out on The Lost Gen II, w/ Sascha, Stefanos, Dom, & Daniil! They had their chances only taking 2 majors, 4 YEC's, & an Olympic Gold medal between the 4 of them OTTH! Carlos could get his CGS very early in his career by taking Aussie next yr.! Normally the FO is the 1 major needed to complete this feat! Very impressive start!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

New Career Highs on ATP Top 100, Monday 21st October,
18. Draper
47. Shang
65. Bergs
68. Muller
87. Diallo
92 Ferneley

 

[tented]

Really, going back to 2005, there hasn't been a Slam in which at least two of the Big Four were in prime form -- all the way through the 2022 Wimbledon, which was Rafa's last SF.

On the other end, it is that exact Slam that saw Carlos Alcaraz rise and win his first.

Alcaraz’s first major title was the US Open in 2022. He lost in the R16 at Wimbledon that year.

 

[El Dude]

Alcaraz’s first major title was the US Open in 2022. He lost in the R16 at Wimbledon that year.

Oh right, yes. Even so, the point is the same - no gap of less than two greats in (near)prime form.