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Could Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud follow Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev in reaching world No. 1 for the first time in the 2023 season? Both Tsitsipas and Ruud have had chances to get to the top of the rankings this year but have missed out. Alcaraz ended the season as the youngest year-end No. 1 in history following his impressive US Open victory when he beat Ruud in the final.
In 2022 there were three different players at the top of the ATP Tour rankings.
Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz all spent time as world No. 1 during the season. Djokovic and Medvedev both had two spells at the summit before Alcaraz took over after his stunning US Open victory, becoming the youngest No. 1 in ATP history and also finishing as the youngest-ever year-end No. 1.
There’s already much anticipation about the battle ahead as Djokovic tries to reclaim the top spot from Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal eyes a return to world No. 1 for the first time in nearly three years.
But after seeing more different No. 1’s in 2022 than in the previous three seasons combined, will there be more new names at the top of the rankings next year? And who are the most likely contenders?
STEFANOS TSITSIPAS
The world No. 1 spot was dangled in front of Tsitsipas a couple of times this season and he wasn’t able to grab it. At the US Open, he could have moved to the top but suffered a shock first-round defeat. Then at the Nitto ATP Finals, he had the chance to leapfrog Alcaraz with a strong showing but failed to make it out of his group.
There’s still a feeling that Tsitsipas is not quite at the level of Djokovic, Alcaraz and Nadal in the crunch moments, but he remains well-positioned to become Greece’s first world No. 1.
He is currently at No. 4 in the rankings and is just 1,300 points behind Alcaraz.
He does have a decent chunk of points to defend at the Australian Open from making the semi-finals last year, but he could be in contention when the first two Masters events roll around. Tsitsipas lost early at Indian Wells and Miami this season so has the chance to gain plenty of rankings points.
If Tsitsipas does get to No. 1 without winning a Grand Slam he will be the second player in the Open Era after Marcelo Rios to do so.
“I deeply believe that I can reach that spot one day,” he said at the ATP Finals.
“I’m not really that much in a rush, to be honest…I am more here for the marathon of all. I see the bigger picture, the longer run. I have a lot of opportunities next year to play some good tennis. If it comes, I’ll be very happy, my country will be very happy and my family will be happy.
“I shouldn’t be obsessing too much about it. I can be happy without it, but of course, I will be slightly more fulfilled if it happens in my career.”
If Tsitsipas can find a few slight improvements in his game and start winning more against the very best in the world then he will surely be in the No. 1 mix soon.
CASPER RUUD
Ruud was not a player that would have been in the world No. 1 conversation at the start of 2022.
He was ranked inside the top 10 but there were doubts over whether he could be a serious threat away from his favoured clay courts. He has firmly dispelled those doubts this season by reaching two Grand Slam finals on different surfaces (French Open and US Open), the final of the ATP Finals – played on arguably the quickest courts of the year – and the final of the hard-court Miami Masters.
Like with Tsitsipas, there’s still another rung for Ruud to climb. He won only one set across his four big finals this season and is 0-8 in matches against top-three players and 0-20 in sets.
Ruud, who could have got to No. 1 if he won the US Open final, admits he has been surprised by some of his achievements this season but has “motivation and a hunger” to do even more in 2023. After what he has shown this year there’s every chance he could develop further and go deep at more marquee events.
“Every year he has improved a little,” coach Toni Nadal told Eurosport about Ruud at the ATP Finals.
“I remember, when he came to the academy, he never thought that he could be No 2 in the world. Now, I have seen many of his matches and he is a very good tennis player. He can be No 1.”
Ruud could well be in the world No. 1 conversation at the Australian Open as he didn’t play the Grand Slam this season due to injury so has no points to defend. He is currently 1,000 points behind Alcaraz.
HOLGER RUNE
Rune has not been shy about his ambitions of getting to world No. 1.
The 19-year-old finished the 2022 season in impressive fashion, winning 19 of his last 21 matches and beating Djokovic in the final of the Paris Masters. His win over Djokovic saw him become the first ATP player on record to beat five top-10 opponents at a tournament outside of the ATP Finals. Having started the year ranked No. 103, Rune finished it at No. 11.
“My goal for next season is to be No. 1,” he said at the ATP Finals.
“I have beaten almost all the players in the top 10, including the No.1. I know what I’m lacking and that’s why I’m going to work hard in the pre-season.
”My goal is not to be better than Carlos but to be the best.”
Rune is clearly not short of confidence and if he can carry his momentum into 2023 then he should add more points to his ranking. He does, though, have a lot of ground to make up on Alcaraz, nearly 4,000 points. He will need deep runs at Masters events and Grand Slams to get close to the top, which is not impossible if he continues on the same sharp upward trajectory.
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander has mixed feelings about Rune laying out his No. 1 hopes though.
“My first reaction would be to say it’s wrong and it’s dangerous to say you will be No. 1,” he told Eurosport.
“But if it motivates you as a player, then go ahead, and if it’s that simple to you as a player.”
If Rune does get to No. 1 in 2023 he join Alcaraz as one of the youngest to reach the position in ATP history.
