At the top of the men’s game in 2024, there was a three-way fight, but by the end of the US Open, there’s a good probability that two of those three stars will be falling in the ATP Rankings.
Jannik Sinner had an incredible start to 2024 when he won titles in Rotterdam and Miami after taking home his maiden Grand Slam victory at the Australian Open.
Whatever happens in the US Open, the Italian’s recent run of success has propelled him to the top of the world rankings, and it appears that he will remain there for some time.
However, that security does not exist for his two main competitors, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz, who will both fall in the rankings should they fail to win the title in New York.
Despite winning the French Open and Wimbledon championships in the summer in Europe, Alcaraz was unable to return to the top of the ATP Rankings.
The Spaniard advanced to the US Open semifinals the previous year; in order to move up the rankings, he must either win his second title in New York or make it to the final.
Long-time top seed Djokovic has fallen in the rankings as a result of his lack of spark in the first half of 2023, and it now appears unlikely that he will ever top the rankings again.
Over the next two weeks, Djokovic cannot increase his ATP point total since he is defending 2,000 points from his victory at the US Open last year. Failure to successfully defend the title will cause Djokovic to fall in the rankings.
Alexander Zverev can move up to No. 2 in the rankings, which is where the German is now ranked in the live ATP Rankings, thanks to Alcaraz and Djokovic’s struggles to hold onto their positions at the final major of 2024.
Tennis fandom has been criticised by John McEnroe for portraying Novak Djokovic as “the bad guy.”
Patrick Mouratoglou chooses Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, and Novak Djokovic in a daring US Open match.
Zverev lost to Alcaraz in the quarterfinals of the US Open the previous year, but he has an opportunity to change that in 2024. On Monday, he defeated fellow German Maximilian Marterer 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 to begin his campaign in New York.
Zverev would not play Sinner or Alcaraz until the championship round because he is in the other half of the draw from them.
If both players make it to the semifinals, he may potentially play Djokovic, and if that happens, he would have an opportunity to secure the No. 2 spot in the ATP rankings.
Tim Henman, the former world number one for Great Britain, boldly predicted that Zverev may emerge from an unexpected US Open draw following a busy few weeks of competition that included the Olympic Games.
Sinner’s focus and fitness for the US Open are in question as he struggles to resolve his hip issue and escape the spotlight surrounding his failing drug test.
Tennis icon John McEnroe speculates that Alcaraz and Djokovic may be jaded following their Olympic successes, which might pave the way for a guy like Zverev to win a Grand Slam.
“You have Sinner with everything going on around him, Alcaraz returning from all of his accomplishments, and Novak entering the game after winning the Olympics at last.” As McEnroe joined the Eurosport team at the US Open, he stated, “That’s why I feel the door is open for a surprise victor at this US Open.”
“Perhaps Zverev can take action. Perhaps with a better draw, (Andrey) Rublev can finally advance past a Slam quarterfinal.
“That being said, I would still most likely choose one of the three men—Sinner, Alcaraz, or Djokovic—to win the championship.”
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