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Sabalenka poised to shut down No.1 chase with fourth-round win at US Open

Sabalenka can end the WTA No 1 race in New York with a fourth-round win and ease title pressure now.

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A clear divide has formed at the top of the WTA rankings this season, with Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff separating themselves from the rest. All three enter the US Open as reigning major champions, with Sabalenka defending her US Open crown after Gauff’s French Open and Swiatek’s Wimbledon successes earlier in the year.

Sabalenka began the fortnight as world No 1, officially holding 11,225 points. After an earlier-than-expected loss in Cincinnati while defending that title, her position was under threat in New York. Swiatek, a former world No 1 for 125 weeks, and Gauff, aiming for the top spot for the first time, were the two contenders best placed to chase her down.

Removing last year’s US Open points made the situation tighter. Sabalenka’s live total fell to 9,235, Swiatek’s to 7,513 with 430 quarter-final points to defend, and Gauff’s to 7,644 with 240 to defend. With 2,000 points awarded to the champion, both Swiatek and Gauff could return to No 1 by winning the title and if Sabalenka exited early.

As the second week approaches, Sabalenka has put herself in position to end that possibility. The top seed has reached the fourth round without dropping a set, defeating Rebeka Masarova, Polina Kudermetova and 31st seed Leylah Fernandez. Those wins have earned her 240 ranking points and lifted her live total to 9,465, still 1,740 below her official tally.

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Mathematically, Swiatek would hold 9,503 points with a tournament win and Gauff 9,634 with victory in New York, both figures able to overtake Sabalenka’s current total. However, victory in the fourth round is enough for Sabalenka to remain world No 1 regardless of how the event concludes for her rivals. Should she prevail on Sunday she would move to 9,655 in the live rankings, putting her ahead of both Swiatek and Gauff’s maximum possible totals for the event.

Sabalenka meets Cristina Bucsa in a first career meeting on Court Louis Armstrong. Ninety-four ranking places separate the pair, with Bucsa ranked No 95 and into a Grand Slam fourth round for the first time. A win would ease immediate pressure on the world No 1 as she progresses in New York.

Analytics & Stats ATP

Alcaraz Tops ATP Live Rankings as US Open Reshapes Standings

Alcaraz leads ATP Live Rankings at the US Open as several players climb and others fall. shifts now

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Carlos Alcaraz has moved ahead of Jannik Sinner in the ATP Live Rankings as the US Open advances, while a number of players have gained or lost ground following results through the fourth round. Sinner remains No 1 in the official ATP Rankings, but the Live Rankings reflect points dropping from corresponding events 12 months earlier. The Italian lost 2,000 points after being crowned 2024 champion in New York, while Alcaraz lost only 50 points after a second-round exit last year. That swing leaves Alcaraz ahead and able to stay there if he outperforms Sinner at Flushing Meadows.

Current ATP top 10 (Before US Open):
1. Jannik Sinner – 11,480
2. Carlos Alcaraz – 9,590
3. Alexander Zverev – 6,230
4. Taylor Fritz – 5,575
5. Jack Draper – 4,440
6. Ben Shelton – 4,280
7. Novak Djokovic – 4,130
8. Alex de Minaur – 3,545
9. Karen Khachanov – 3,240
10. Lorenzo Musetti – 3,205

Alcaraz has already reached the quarter-final after defeating Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets in the fourth round, and he is yet to drop a set in the tournament. Sinner still has a last-16 match to play. World No 3 Alexander Zverev has exited the US Open and faces a potential slip in the Live Rankings; Taylor Fritz and Novak Djokovic would have to win the title to pass him.

Fritz and Djokovic meet in the quarter-final, with the winner to play either Alcaraz or Jiri Lehecka. Fritz was in danger of losing the American No 1 ranking to Ben Shelton after the tournament, but the sixth seed’s third-round retirement put an end to that battle. Fritz’s record against Djokovic stands at 0-10.

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Djokovic began this sequence at No 7 and has climbed two places to No 5. A related Live projection lists:
1. Carlos Alcaraz – 9,940
2. Jannik Sinner – 9,680
3. Alexander Zverev – 5,930
4. Taylor Fritz – 4,675
5. Novak Djokovic – 4,430

Elsewhere, Jiri Lehecka has reached his first US Open quarter-final and is up six places to No 15, three spots ahead of Alexander Bublik who is up six. Felix Auger-Aliassime is projected to rise seven places to No 20 after defeating Zverev. Adrian Mannarino is +22 to No 55, Arthur Rinderknech is two spots below him after jumping 25 places, and Kamil Majchrzak becomes the new Polish No 1 at No 62 (+14). Jan Lennard Struff is up 46 places to No 98. Leandro Riedi is the biggest mover at +271 to No 164 with a career best of 117. Daniil Medvedev is down four places to No 17. Frances Tiafoe is projected to drop 12 places to No 29 and Jordan Thompson is set to slip 19 spots to No 57. Holger Rune (11) and Casper Ruud (12) retain their positions while Stefanos Tsitsipas is up one to No 27.

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Analytics & Stats ATP US Open

Djokovic moves past Federer with ninth season of quarter-finals at Slams

Djokovic sets new mark with a ninth season reaching all four Slam quarter-finals at the US Open. now

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Novak Djokovic added another entry to an already long list of Grand Slam milestones after a routine fourth-round win at the US Open moved him ahead of Roger Federer in a specific men’s singles record. The 24-time major champion defeated German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 at Flushing Meadows to secure a ninth season in which he has reached the quarter-finals at all four Slams.

Djokovic and Federer had been level on eight seasons for that achievement. Djokovic previously completed the set in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021 and 2023; Federer’s run came from 2005 to 2012. In each of those eight seasons Djokovic won at least one Grand Slam, a pattern that underlines the significance of the statistic, although he is yet to claim a major since his 2023 US Open title.

At 38 years and 94 days, Djokovic also became the fourth-oldest man to reach the US Open quarter-finals, behind Pancho Gonzalez (40), Ken Rosewall (39) and Jimmy Connors (39). Reflecting on Connors’ 1991 run, Djokovic said: “I remember that [Connors 1991] run. I was very, very young, so I don’t vividly remember it when it was happening,” he explained. “But in the years to come when I was growing up watching a lot of tennis, everyone was talking about that run being one of the most historic runs we had in the sport at any Slam.

“Jimmy Connors being one of the greatest tennis players of all time, greatest legends in general overall globally, but particularly in this tournament. He’s won it five times? He’s fired up the New York crowd like no other player has done in his career.

“Just being in the same discussion or same conversation with Jimmy is obviously a huge honour of mine.”

Djokovic now prepares to face fourth seed Taylor Fritz in the quarter-final as he chases a record-extending 53 Grand Slam semi-final. He holds a 10-0 head-to-head advantage over Fritz, their most recent meeting coming in the semi-final of the 2024 Shanghai Masters, which Djokovic won in straight sets. By reaching this US Open quarter-final Djokovic will rise two places to return to No 5 in the ATP Rankings, with Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev and Fritz ahead of him. A semi-final would move him past Fritz, while a title run would lift him to No 3.

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Analytics & Stats WTA

WTA rankings after week one at the 2025 US Open: Sabalenka holds No 1 as several players rise

Sabalenka stays world No 1 after week one at the US Open as several players climb the rankings. now.

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The opening week of the 2025 US Open reshaped the WTA live rankings but left Aryna Sabalenka installed at world No 1. Sabalenka had begun the hard-court major with points to defend after failing to keep her Cincinnati crown and faced pressure from Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff to surrender the top spot. Sabalenka reached the semi-finals with a win over Busca, a result that effectively closed the opportunity for her rivals to overtake her.

Live rankings after week one placed Sabalenka at No 1 (9,655 points), Coco Gauff at No 2 (7,874) and Iga Swiatek at No 3 (7,743). Just behind the leading trio sits Mirra Andreeva as a provisional world No 4, although the draft notes she could still slip after her round-of-32 loss. Jessica Pegula and Elena Rybakina remain inside the top 10, with Pegula moving into the quarter-finals despite an earlier points drop from her runner-up finish in 2025.

Notable movers inside the top 20 included Daria Kasatkina and Belinda Bencic, each rising four places. Two-time Grand Slam champion Barbora Krejcikova produced one of the bigger climbs: beginning the tournament at No 62, she beat Victoria Mboko, Emma Navarro and Taylor Townsend to reach the quarter-final and is projected to rise 23 places to No 39. If Krejcikova beats Pegula in the quarters she could return to the top 30.

Emma Raducanu moved up two places to No 34 after reaching the third round. Marketa Vondrousova rose 24 places to No 36 following her fourth-round victory over Rybakina. Cristina Bucsa is set to jump 34 places to No 61 after wins over Alexandra Eala and 19th seed Elise Mertens. Taylor Townsend is projected to climb 28 places to No 111 after victories including a win over Jelena Ostapenko, while Janice Tjen moved 22 places to a new high of No 127.

Several other ranking changes were recorded: Emma Navarro down five to No 16, Paula Badosa to drop at least nine to No 19, Donna Vekic projected down 18 to No 67 and Ajla Tomljanovic falling 12 places to No 91. Several fourth-round matches remain incomplete, so the live rankings may change again before the quarter-finals.

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