Analytics & Stats ATP US Open
Wilander backs Carlos Alcaraz as the player to beat at US Open, passing over Jannik Sinner
Wilander: Alcaraz ‘focused’ and ‘pretty perfect’ after three rounds; seen as the man to beat. (2025)

Mats Wilander has pointed to Carlos Alcaraz as the player to beat at this year’s US Open, citing the Spaniard’s form through three rounds and a level of focus that has impressed the former world No 1. “Alcaraz is playing extremely well,” said Wilander. “He’s unbelievably focused, the movement is just so good it seems impossible to hit the ball past him. “His forehand, he said himself is not perfect, to me it looks pretty perfect, and he is serving well. “Early in the tournament, for once, he looks like the man to beat.”
Alcaraz reached the last 16 with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 win over Lucas Darderi, having not dropped a set in his prior matches. He entered the tournament having won 30 of his last 31 matches, his only recent loss coming to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final.
Sinner, the defending champion, remains a favourite for many and, like Alcaraz, had not dropped a set at this stage of the event.
Alcaraz will next meet world No 82 Arthur Rinderknech, who recovered from a set down to Benjamin Bonzi. Earlier in the tournament Rinderknech had survived a five-set match with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. The world No 2 has beaten Rinderknech on three occasions, two of those matches going the distance. Their closest meeting finished 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3) at Queen’s Club in 2023, a result that helped propel Alcaraz to his first Wimbledon title.
“Rinderknech has a big serve and big game,” analysed the Swede. “He can rush Alcaraz, maybe take the second serve return and come to the net, maybe hit the ball really hard down the middle and come to the net, do something that will surprise Alcaraz. “I think he has a chance to at least win a set.”
Alcaraz has a history of strong results at the US Open, reaching the quarter-finals on his first appearance at 18 and winning the title in 2022, but his straight-set defeat last year to Botic Van de Zandschulp has remained a point of reference. “I’m just trying not to do the same things as last year,” Alcaraz analysed. “Trying to improve and do the things much better. Every time that I step on the court, I’m just locked in from the first point until the last one. “I’m taking last year as motivation coming into this year, be more hungry, ambitious to do great things here. “This is a place that I love playing. The energy is crazy, so I’m just trying to feel the love and the energy from the people much more and playing as much matches as I can, that motivates me.”
On Rinderknech, Alcaraz added: “He’s really difficult to play against, really aggressive, big serve, trying to go to the net. “So it’s going to be really difficult, but as I said, I’m just trying to be focused on myself, that I’m playing great tennis, and I’m feeling really comfortable physically, mentally, and just feeling the ball really well. “I will try to think just about my goals, about myself, and let’s see, but it’s going to be a really interesting one.”
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

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.
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.
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

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.
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.

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.
-
Grand SlamPlayer NewsWimbledon1 month ago
Amanda Anisimova vows to return stronger after being ‘frozen’ with nerves during Wimbledon final defeat
-
Player NewsWTA1 month ago
Zheng Qinwen to take “short break” following elbow surgery
-
Grand SlamWimbledonWTA1 month ago
Slices, sabbaticals and a strong team key to SW19 success?