Djokovic closes in on Alcaraz at top of rankings

Ahead of the draw for the US Open on Thursday, Novak Djokovic jumped to second in the men’s tennis rankings after outlasting world number one Carlos Alcaraz to win the Cincinnati Open.

In his last warm-up event for the season’s final major, Djokovic took some revenge on Sunday on the 20-year-old Spaniard who won their final at Wimbledon on July 17. 

Djokovic fell a set behind but fought back to win 5-7, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/4) on his fifth match point and after 3 hours 49 minutes.

Djokovic took second in the rankings released on Monday from Daniil Medvedev, who was eliminated in the last 16 by Alexander Zverev.

The Serbian also cut Alcaraz’s lead atop the rankings to 20 points.

Dane Holger Rune climbed to No. 4 at the expense of Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas, who dropped three places. 

Zverev climbed five places to 12th.

ATP rankings as of August 21:

1. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 9395 pts

2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8795

3. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 6530

4. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 5090

5. Holger Rune (DEN) 4790 (+1)

6. Jannik Sinner (ITA) 4725 (+2)

7. Casper Ruud (NOR) 4715 (-2)

8. Andrey Rublev (RUS) 4595 (-1)

9. Taylor Fritz (USA) 3605

10. Frances Tiafoe (USA) 3050

11. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 2855

12. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 2595 (+6)

13. Tommy Paul (USA) 2525 (+1)

14. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 2510 (-2)

15. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 2425 (-2)

16. Borna Coric (CRO) 2315 (-1)

17. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2310 (-1)

18. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 1995 (+1)

19. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1690 (+1)

20. Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 1685 (-3)