Alcaraz Powerless As Nadal And Tsitsipas Eye Number One Spot
Zeeshan Mehtab Published November 12, 2022 | 07:06 PM
Carlos Alcaraz will spend a nervous week watching the ATP Finals as Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas bid to usurp the Spanish teenager as year-end men's world number one
Turin, Italy, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Nov, 2022 ) :Carlos Alcaraz will spend a nervous week watching the ATP Finals as Rafael Nadal and Stefanos Tsitsipas bid to usurp the Spanish teenager as year-end men's world number one.
The top-ranked Alcaraz is powerless to stop his rivals because he is out with an abdomen injury he suffered at the Paris Masters over a week ago.
Nadal will hope he has shaken off the rustiness he displayed in Paris when he lost in his first singles match in two months after spending time at home in Mallorca with his wife and newborn son. The 36-year-old fell to American journeyman Tommy Paul.
The surest way for Nadal, who won the Australian and French Open titles in 2022 and is ranked second, to finish year-end number one for a sixth time is by winning the title in Turin.
Yet he is seemingly unconcerned about joining Pete Sampras in second on the all-time list of year end number ones.
"Like I've often said, it's not a priority for me anymore, because you need a consistency of results that is really only possible for the younger players," he told the Gazzetta dello Sport.
"And to be honest I don't like talking about what could happen in the future." Nadal could also top the rankings if he wins all three of his Green Group games and reaches the final while Tsiptsipas stumbles.
The third-ranked Greek, who is in the Red Group, needs to win all his matches on his way to the title.
Nadal would topple US Open champion Alcaraz if the two Spaniards finish level on points. Nadal has a better overall record in the Grand Slams and Masters tournaments Nadal opens his campaign on Sunday against big-serving American Taylor Fritz. His other two group rivals are Norwegian Casper Ruud and in-form Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime.
- 'A last sprint' - Tsitsipas, who has never been higher than third, has a very different attitude to Nadal.
"The rankings are there for a reason. They signify something important," he said in August when he regained third spot.
"I think that the very next step would be the No. 1 spot, which I hope I can get to one day." The 24-year-old has enjoyed a successful year with two titles and five other finals, though a Grand Slam title still eludes him.
Were he to succeed in finishing number one he would emulate Chilean Marcelo Rios in 1998 as the only players without a Grand Slam crown to top the rankings.
Tsitsipas's task appears harder than Nadal's as his group contains two former world number ones in Serbian Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.
Another Russian the exciting mop-haired Andrey Rublev -- a quarter-finalist at both the French and US Open this year -- makes up that quartet.
Djokovic is hoping his rollercoaster of a year -- starting with his expulsion from Australia because he was not vaccinated against Covid to the high of another Wimbledon crown -- ends happily.
The 35-year-old Serb is targeting equalling the retired Roger Federer's record of six ATP Finals titles.
It would be "a perfect ending," Djokovic told ATP Media on Friday.
"The cherry on the cake, for sure, but it's a long way. It's a long week." "It's the last week of the year on the Tour, it's kind of a last sprint, if you will, for all of us.
"From the very first match you are going to have extra high intensity." For Ruud the finals present a chance to capture a significant title after losing both the French and US Open finals. He faces added pressure as his two grandmothers will be in Turin to watch him.
"They don't come to too much," Ruud told the ATP website.
"Sometimes they are a little bit frustrated with me that I don't invite them too often.
"They are great, but as all grandmothers, they can maybe be a bit too much at times," he added smiling.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
ICC Womens T20 World Cup Qualifier, Match 2: Ireland Women open with Comfortable ..
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
Shahzeb Chachar to hold khuli kachehri on April 26
Heatwave amid Israel's aggression in Gaza brings new misery, disease risk
Tourism must change, mayor says as Venice launches entry fee
Court adjourns Judicial Complex attack case till May 17
Nasreen Noori’s book ‘Popatan Jahra Khwab’ launched
Wafaqi Mohtasib inspection team visits Excise and taxation office
AJLAC announces 5th Conference titled ‘People’s Mandate: Safeguarding Civil ..
Pak-US officials engage to enhance trade, investment ties
IBCC to promote educational excellence, expand regional presence
Pakistani 'Blue Helmets' serving UN Peacekeeping Mission in DR Congo set to leav ..
More Stories From Sports
-
ICC Womens T20 World Cup Qualifier, Match 2: Ireland Women open with Comfortable victory over UAE
3 hours ago -
Robinson, bowlers help New Zealand go 2-1 up against Pakistan
9 hours ago -
National Hockey camp to be organized for Azlan Shah tournament
10 hours ago -
Islamabad Tennis Club demolished by CDA amid anti-encroachment action at public park: Tarar
12 hours ago -
Shayan, Rashid, Junaid to represent Pakistan in U12 Regional Qualifying Jrs
12 hours ago -
Olympic Games Paris 2024: How teams qualified
13 hours ago
-
ICC T20 World Cup 2024 trophy unveiled in Islamabad
12 hours ago -
Pakistan to tour New Zealand for 3 ODIs, 5 T20Is next March
12 hours ago -
Xavi and Barca remain tied in marriage of convenience
12 hours ago -
Pakistan Master Tenpin Bowling C'ship postponed
12 hours ago -
Tennis: ATP/WTA Madrid Open results
12 hours ago -
1st-ever National Sports Revival conference starts next month
14 hours ago