New York, Aug 24 (IANS): Five players, including Rafael Nadal and young Spanish compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, are in with a chance to emerge as the new world No.1 at the conclusion of the season-ending Grand Slam, the US Open at Flushing Meadows.
While Russia's Daniil Medvedev will enter the US Open as the No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings but there could be a huge reshuffle in the order in New York, with five players -- Nadal, Medvedev, Alcaraz, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas and Norway's Casper Ruud -- in contention for the top spot.
When players next Monday (August 29) drop their 2021 US Open points, Nadal will be in pole position to recapture world No. 1 for the first time since February 2, 2020. Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Alcaraz and Norway's Casper Ruud need deep runs in the last major of the year to challenge the Spaniard, according to atptour.com.
Since Nadal did not compete last year in New York, he is not defending any points. When reigning champion Medvedev drops the 2,000 points he is defending, Nadal will be No. 1 in the ATP Live Rankings with 5,630 points.
The 36-year-old Nadal will have a 590-point lead over Germany's Alexander Zverev, who does not have a chance to claim No. 1 because he is not competing at the US Open due to an ankle injury. Medvedev, who has held world No. 1 since the week of June 13, will be 745 points behind.
Medvedev, Tsitsipas, Alcaraz and Ruud will all need to at least reach the US Open final to have an opportunity to leave New York as world No. 1.
Tsitsipas will be confident after reaching the Western & Southern Open final in Cincinnati. However, the Greek has not moved past the third round at Flushing Meadows in four previous appearances.
Alcaraz, who defeated Tsitsipas at last year's US Open en route to the quarterfinals, has a chance to make history. If the 19-year-old Spaniard climbs to world No. 1 on September 12, he will become the youngest No. 1 in ATP Rankings history, breaking the record Australia's Lleyton Hewitt set in November 2001 as a 20-year-old.
Ruud, who has climbed as high as world No. 5, can also become the first Norwegian in ATP Rankings history to reach world No. 1.