Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz ousted Serbian Novak Djokovic and reclaimed the top spot in the ATP world rankings on Monday morning, while his compatriot Rafael Nadal found himself outside the top-10 for the first time in 18 years.
Alcaraz rose to the top of the men’s tennis pecking order — a position he held for the first time after winning the U.S. Open last September — with a convincing win over Russian Daniil Medvedev on Sunday in final of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Facing Medvedev, who entered the final with a 19-game winning streak, Alcaraz prevailed in 71 minutes, 6-3, 6-2.
The 19-year-old Spaniard did not lose a single set on his way to this eighth career title. His run in Indian Wells includes a straight-set 6-4, 6-4 win over Félix Auger-Aliassime in the quarter-finals.
However, this setback did not prevent the Montrealer from gaining four places and climbing to sixth place in the world rankings. His compatriot Denis Shapovalov ranks 30e.
Auger-Aliassime will look to improve his position as he starts the weekend at the Miami Masters, where he was knocked out in his first match in the second round last year.
Out since January due to a hip flexor injury, Nadal now sits 13e rank. It’s a four-place slide that ends a stay in the top-10 that began in April 2005.
It is the longest such streak in ATP history. Jimmy Connors, a star of American tennis during the 70s and 80s, follows with a streak of about 15 years.
Nadal and Djokovic share first place with 22 men’s singles grand slam titles.
Djokovic is the tennis player — both for men and women — who has spent the most weeks at the top of the world rankings.
Djokovic did not participate in the Indian Wells tournament because he is not vaccinated against COVID-19 and therefore does not have the right to enter American territory. For this same reason, he will not take part in the tournament in Miami, where Alcaraz is the defending champion.
On the women’s side, Elena Rybakina’s victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the final in Indian Wells on Sunday saw her move up three spots to a career-high seventh.
Poland’s Iga Swiatek retains the top echelon, ahead of Sabalenka, who beat Rybakina in the Australian Open final in January.
Canadians Bianca Andreescu and Leylah Fernandez rank 28th and 50th, respectively.