Number one is difficult for Carlos Alcaraz, while Rafa Nadal is below number 200 in the ATP ranking. Novak Djokovic yesterday won the Paris Masters 1000 against Grigor Dimitrov (6-4 and 6-3), the 40th title in this category and the seventh in the French capital for him. The Balkan tennis player extends his advantage to 1,490 points overall compared to the Murcian player who said goodbye to Paris at the first opportunity, against Roman Safiullin (6-3 and 6-4). 'Nole' will obtain the throne of the season, if he only wins one match at the Nitto ATP Finals.
A goal that does not seem very complicated for Novak Djokovic, since he has a streak of 18 consecutive wins. The Serbian tennis player's last defeat occurred in the month of August, when Carlos Alcaraz won the second Grand Slam of his career on the grass of the All England Club, in Wimbledon. Since then, no one has been able to overshadow the 24-time major winner. Not in Cincinnati, not the US Open or in Paris.
“I'm going for all possible records. I've never had a problem saying it and that's why some people don't like me. "I don't pretend like others and say that it's not my goal and then behave differently... I always try to be in line with what I believe," said Novak at the end of the final, sending a direct message to Rafa Nadal, according to what they point out. various media.
Alcaraz will arrive at the Masters Cup 2,990 points behind the Serbian tennis player in the ATP classification and 1,490 in the race of the year. The Palmar tennis player currently has 8,455 points in the world ranking compared to Djokovic's 11,445, who also leads the race (9,945 points), a system that computes the points obtained during the year, regardless of those defended in each tournament.
The 36-year-old player is running as the top favorite to finish the year as number one in the world and his next stop will be Turin, from November 12 to 19, for the Nitto ATP Finals, which brings together the eight best tennis players in the world. Djokovic already won this tournament last year against Casper Ruud (7-5 and 6-3). On the horizon, Daniíl Medvedev is stalking Alcaraz for the number two spot in the rankings: the 27-year-old Russian has 7,200 points in both the world ranking and the race.
The Paris Masters 1000 has not only harmed Carlos Alcaraz. Also to Rafa Nadal who is currently in 244th place overall. A fact that contrasts with the number two that he occupied at the beginning of 2023.
However, the ranking continues to deduct points from the 14-time Roland Garros winner who has not officially played a match since January, in the second round of the Australian Open, when he suffered an injury to the iliac psoas in his left leg against Mackenzie McDonald (6-4 , 6-4 and 7-5).
The man from Manacor has recently been seen on social networks, in some videos in which he can be seen training with a certain intensity in view of a possible return next season, in 2024. The Balearic tennis player acknowledged in October that he still does not have a planned “return date”, although he would like to return “in Australia”.
"I'm on the right path, although it's a new injury for me. I tried to come back in the clay season and it couldn't be, that's why I don't know and I can't say when I'm going to return," Nadal acknowledged.
