ATP Rankings: Novak Djokovic counts to 265. Daniil Medvedev cracks top-5
As usual, the Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati offered a chance for many players to chase big points and improve their position on the ATP ranking list, with Daniil Medvedev and David Goffin taking full advantage of the fact they played for the title. Novak Djokovic failed to defend the crown and 1000 points won a year ago, losing to Medvedev in the semi-final after taking the opening set and heading to the US Open with 3740 points advantage over the closest rival Rafale Nadal who stayed away from Cincinnati after winning Montreal. This is the 265th week on the ATP throne for Novak who is just three behind Jimmy Connors and five behind Ivan Lendl, set to pass them both in just over a month.
Just like Djokovic, Roger Federer couldn't defend the points from Cincinnati last year after an early loss to Andrey Rublev who needed just over an hour to dismiss the Swiss who will try to bounce back at the US Open where he has a chance to earn points after a short campaign in 2018. Roger is still 2000 points ahead of Dominic Thiem who had to withdraw from Cincinnati after dealing with a cold, still standing safe in that fourth place ahead of the newly-promoted top-5 player Daniil Medvedev who claimed the first Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati. The Russian grabbed almost 2000 points in the previous three weeks to become the first player from his country in the top-5 since Nikolay Davydenko in June 2010.
Daniil moved ahead of Alexander Zverev, Kei Nishikori and Stefanos Tsitsipas who all failed to pass the first obstacle in Ohio and earn notable points in the battle for London. Karen Khachanov stayed ninth in front of Roberto Bautista Agut who is the latest player in the top-10 after two solid weeks in Montreal and Cincinnati, becoming the 168th competitor in the elite group since 1973. Borna Coric, Gael Monfils, John Isner and Cincinnati finalist David Goffin have all made progress, passing Juan Martin del Potro and Kevin Anderson who are both plagued with injuries ahead of the last Major of the season.
Despite an early loss in Cincinnati, Felix Auger-Aliassime is in the top-20 for the first time in a career, becoming the 19th youngest player in that group and the fifth since 2000 after Rafael Nadal, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Richard Gasquet. Cincinnati semi-finalist Richard Gasquet is back inside the top-35 for the first time since April, followed by Andrey Rublev who is in the top-50 again after the quarter-final in Cincinnati.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2Z7mfe4
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