Tennis rankings: Nadal leapfrogs Djokovic to claim No 1 spot, Barty finishes year at the top

Rafael Nadal’s return to the world number one position for the eighth time in his career was confirmed when the ATP rankings were released on Monday.

The Spaniard leapfrogs Novak Djokovic even though the Serb sealed his fifth Paris Masters title on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Canadian Denis Shapovalov.

Nadal, whose last stint at the top ended a year ago on November 4, 2018, withdrew from his semi-final against Shapovalov in Paris with an abdominal muscle strain.

Djokovic slips down the rankings because he loses the points that he won a year ago in London when Nadal was absent.

The 2019 battle between Nadal, winner of the French and US Opens, and Djokovic who triumphed in Australia and Wimbledon, is set to go to the wire as either could still finish the year at number one.

If the Spaniard does not play or fails to win a round-robin match at the World Tour Finals, Djokovic must claim two group-stage victories and make the final to pass him.

Djokovic would also be sure of the year-end top ranking should he win the tournament and Nadal does not reach the semis.

Nadal first reached number one on August 18, 2008 when he was just 22. He has spent 197 weeks at the top, the sixth highest in ATP history behind Roger Federer (310), Pete Sampras (286), Djokovic (275), Ivan Lendl (270) and Jimmy Connors (268).

Gael Monfils returns to the top 10 for the first time since February 2017 after reaching the semi-finals in Paris while 20-year-old Shapovalov climbs 13 places to a career-high 15.

ATP rankings as of November 4

1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,585 pts (+1)

2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 8,945 (-1)

3. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,190

4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,705

5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,025

6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4,000 (+1)

7. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2,945 (-1)

8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,670 (+1)

9. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,540 (+1)

10. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,530 (+3)

11. David Goffin (BEL) 2,335 (+3)

12. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,290

13. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 2,180 (-2)

14. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 2,125 (+1)

15. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2,050 (+13)

16. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 2,000

17. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 1,840 (-9)

18. Alex De Minaur (AUS) 1,775

19. John Isner (USA) 1,770 (-2)

20. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 1,747 (+7)

Barty tops end-of-season women’s ranking

Ashleigh Barty of Australia tops the end of season women’s tennis rankings, a day after her triumph in the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, China.

With 7,851 points, Barty, who has topped the rankings since early September, eclipsed second-placed Karolina Pliskova (5,940 points) by almost 2,000 points.

Naomi Osaka (5,497) held on to third place from Simona Halep, who moved up one spot to fourth on 5.462 points.

Barty dominated Elina Svitolina in Sunday’s final in Shenzhen, winning 6-4, 6-3 to collect the richest prize in women’s tennis of $4.4 million (4m euros).

Svitolina rose two places to sixth in the rankings while Kiki Bertens moved up one to ninth at the expense of Serena Williams who slipped to 10th spot.

Latest WTA rankings released November 4:

1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 7,851 pts

2. Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 5,940

3. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 5,496

4. Simona Halep (ROU) 5,462 (+1)

5. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 5,192 (-1)

6. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,075 (+2)

7. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,776 (-1)

8. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 4,745 (-1)

9. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,245 (+1)

10. Serena Williams (USA) 3,935 (-1)

11. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,120 (+3)

12. Johanna Konta (GBR) 2,879 (-1)

13. Madison Keys (USA) 2,767

14. Sofia Kenin (USA) 2,740 (-2)

15. Petra Martic (CRO) 2,617

16. Marketa Vondroušová (CZE) 2,390

17. Elise Mertens (BEL) 2,290 (+1)

18. Alison Riske (USA) 2,210 (+1)

19. Donna Vekic (CRO) 2,205 (+1)

20. Angelique Kerber (GER) 2,175 (-3)

(with AFP inputs)