ATP Rankings: Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal grab 500 points to extend no. 1 battle
The week behind us brought two ATP 500 tournaments and the last ATP 250 event of the Golden Swing in South America. 370 points separate the world's leading players Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal after they claimed titles in Dubai and Acapulco, celebrating crowns in the same week for the third time and pushing the no. 1 battle towards Indian Wells and Miami. Novak saved three match points in the semi-final against Gael Monfils, scoring a more convincing victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas for the first title in the desert since 2013, already earning more than 3000 points in 2020 and hoping to extend a perfect 18-0 score in the upcoming events.
Nadal was too strong for all the rivals in Acapulco, earning the first title there since 2013 and staying in touch with Novak ahead of the first Masters 1000 events of the season. Nadal is now almost 3000 points clear in front of world no. 3, although it is not Roger Federer as his closest rival anymore. The Swiss had to skip Dubai due to an injury, losing 500 points and allowing Dominic Thiem to pass him and become the 11th active player in the top-3. More than 1000 points still separate Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev while Matteo Berrettini and Gael Monfils still have the same amount of points ahead of David Goffin who completes the top-10 group.
Karen Khachanov gained two spots after reaching the quarters in Dubai, entering the top-15 again and helping Medvedev and Rublev in achieving something the Russians had never done before, having three players in the top-15. Grigor Dimitrov is back inside the top-20, ahead of Acapulco finalist Taylor Fritz who has cracked the top-25. Daniel Evans is in the top-30 again while Nick Kyrgios barely stayed in the top-40 after losing a lot of points in Acapulco following early retirement.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3aox3GI
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