Djokovic loses No 1 spot to Sinner; Swiatek increases huge lead in ATP rankings

Jannik Sinner has made his debut at No 1 in the ATP rankings this week, moving up one spot to replace the injured Novak Djokovic there.

The 22-year-old is the first player from Italy to reach No 1 since the computerised rankings began in 1973. He will be the top-seeded man at Wimbledon, where play begins July 1.

Sinner is 33-3 this season with three titles, including earning his first grand slam trophy at the Australian Open in January, part of a 19-0 run to begin 2024.

Two of those three losses were against Carlos Alcaraz. One came last Friday in five sets in the semi-finals of the French Open, which Alcaraz went on to win by beating Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday.

Alcaraz’s third major title allowed him to rise one place in the rankings to No 2, with Djokovic at No 3 and Zverev remaining at No 4.

Djokovic was the defending champion in Paris and needed to get back to the final to stay at No 1 because of his lack of play this year, as well as his failure to reach the title match at any tournament so far.

However, he tore the meniscus in his right knee during a fourth-round victory over Francisco Cerundolo at Roland Garros, withdrew before the quarter finals and had surgery.

Iga Świątek’s third consecutive championship at Roland Garros – her fourth there in five years and fifth major title overall – allowed her to increase what already was a large lead at No 1 in the WTA rankings.

Swiatek was already so far ahead of everyone else heading into the French Open that she would have held on to the top spot even if she had lost in the first round.

Coco Gauff climbed to a career-high No 2 from No 3. The 20-year-old American, last year’s US Open champion, reached the French Open singles semi-finals but lost to Swiatek, although she then won her first grand slam doubles title with Katerina Siniakova.

Two-time Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka swapped places with Gauff and is No 3, followed by 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina.

Jasmine Paolini, a 28-year-old Italian who lost to Swiatek on Saturday in her first major final, jumped to a career-best No 7 ranking, marking her first time in the WTA’s top 10. Paolini was No 15 before the French Open.