Nadal caresses the number one, Alcaraz will have it very complicated

Daniil Medvedev's fall against Nick Kyrgios in the round of 16 in New York opened a new scenario.

Beyond the defeat of one of the firm candidates for victory, defender in addition to the title obtained last year, his departure from the tournament means the loss of number one, to which three players now aspire: Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and the Norwegian Casper Ruud.

The Russian needed to at least reach the final of the US Open to continue on the throne, but he will lose 1,820 points and this is already reflected in the live

that the ATP has recently implemented, which discounts the points obtained in the previous edition.

Now everything points to Nadal, quoted tonight (around 8:00 pm, Eurosport) with Frances Tiafoe in search of the ticket for the quarterfinals.

The 36-year-old Spaniard, who at the beginning of the tournament was already listed as virtual number one, has the option of giving a serious boost towards the top, since if he beats the American today he would force the other two applicants to conquer the trophy on the 11th. Mathematics and casuistry are convincing: in the event that he reaches the final or wins it for the fifth time (2010, 2013, 2017 and 2020 so far) he would secure first place, and even lose against Tiafoe would have options, because in that case both Alcaraz and Ruud would have to reach the final.

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Kyrgios removes Medvedev from New York (and from number one)

Medvedev's stumble opens the doors wide for him to regain the status he last defended on January 20, 2020. In total, the Spaniard has worn the

for 209 weeks – in the periods between 2008-2011, 2013-2014 and 2017 and 2020 – and has finished the year at the top of the world list five times.

For a long time, the matter has not made him lose a single minute of sleep, since he has concentrated all his efforts on scratching more Grand Slams;

In any case, it would be a prize for him, a sign that his tennis is still more than valid and that his performance is differential.

This season, Nadal is the tennis player who has won the most tournaments (4) along with Carlos Alcaraz.

The Murcian is also the one with the most wins (47) this season, at the expense of the result he registered this morning (around 3:00, Eurosport) against the Croatian Marin Cilic.

At 19 years old, he has had a fabulous year, with titles in Rio de Janeiro, Miami, Barcelona and Madrid, and now he is putting all his efforts into raising his first

.

His limit on a big stage is precisely the rooms he signed in 2021 at Flushing Meadows and this year at Roland Garros.

Five to three applicants

His regularity and his presence at the highest levels of the tournaments also give him the opportunity to ascend to number one for the first time;

he is currently number four, but he would rule for the first time if he triumphs in New York or if he loses in the final – against someone other than Ruud, of course – and Nadal does not reach the quarters.

Ruud's chances are similar.

The 23-year-old Norwegian, number seven and finalist this year at Roland Garros, would only have to lift the US Open, as long as the final was not against Nadal, or lose in the final episode of the great New Yorker against someone who was not Alcaraz and that, in parallel, Nadal reached the quarterfinals.

In the New York lobby, the cabal included five candidates for the

.

The Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas was added to the four mentioned, but he lost in the first round against the Colombian Daniel Galán.

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