NEW DELHI, SEP 14 (IANS): The latest ATP and WTA rankings released on Monday brought significant shifts, with Ben Shelton making a big leap into the top five and Alexander Zverev narrowing the gap to World No.1 Jannik Sinner. Meanwhile, the WTA saw Elena Rybakina officially become the first Kazakh World No.1.
American star Ben Shelton entered the US Open ranked ninth with 3,480 points. His run to his maiden Grand Slam final earned him 1,200 points, taking his tally to 4,680 and propelling him to World No.5. He now sits ahead of Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev, Flavio Cobolli, Alex de Minaur and Novak Djokovic.
US Open champion Alexander Zverev gained 1,900 points, bringing his total to 9,690. He now trails World No.1 Jannik Sinner, who dropped 1,300 points due to injury, leaving him at 11,500. The gap between the two has narrowed considerably, setting up a tense battle for the top spot in the coming months.
Frances Tiafoe rose four places to No.8 after his semifinal run, adding 700 points. Karen Khachanov made the biggest jump, climbing 24 places to No.26 following his semifinal loss to Zverev.
Novak Djokovic suffered a steep fall, dropping seven places from fifth to 12th after his shock first-round exit to Mariano Navone. This marks his first US Open opener loss and his first first-round exit since the 2006 Australian Open.
Rybakina creates history
Elena Rybakina officially became the first Kazakh World No.1 in singles rankings after her US Open triumph. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 in the final, capping off a stellar season.
Rybakina had already secured the No.1 spot after her quarterfinal win over Qinwen Zheng, who herself jumped 69 places in the rankings. Rybakina’s consistent performances throughout the North American hard-court swing and her success in New York cemented her rise. Reacting to her achievement, Rybakina said: “It’s history, and I’m very proud to be representing Kazakhstan.”
End of an Era: No Big Three in Top 10
For the first time since October 2002, none of the Big Three—Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer—are in the ATP top 10. Roger Federer retired in 2022 after spending 237 weeks as World No.1. Rafael Nadal, who retired in 2024, holds the record for 912 consecutive weeks in the top 10. Novak Djokovic, with a record 428 weeks at No.1, remains active at 39 but has slipped to No.12 after his latest setback.
