Rafael Nadal handed slim likelihood to play US Open as World No. 1 following Daniil Medvedev’s early loss in Montreal

Daniil Medvedev’s lead on the prime of the boys’s tennis rankings took a giant hit after he bowed out of his second-round encounter on the 2022 Canadian Open to Nick Kyrgios.

As the defending champion, the Russian misplaced practically 1000 rating factors on the Masters 1000 occasion, bringing his lead over World No. 2 Alexander Zverev down to simply 125 factors. However, nonetheless reeling from the damage he suffered throughout the semifinal at Roland Garros this yr, Zverev will fail to capitalise and himself drop 1000 factors subsequent week, when he can be unable to defend his title in Cincinnati.

This leaves the door open for Rafael Nadal to usurp the highest spot of the boys’s rankings. Following his triumphs on the Australian Open and French Open this yr, Nadal has efficiently saved his place within the prime 5.

Since damage and subsequent surgical procedure derailed the second half of his 2021 season, following Montreal, Nadal is not going to be defending a single rating level until the tip of the season. This places him in pole place to finish the yr as World No. 1, however with Medvedev’s early defeat on Wednesday, he might attain the place as early because the US Open.

The Spaniard confirmed on Tuesday that he’ll journey to Cincinnati to play the Masters 1000 occasion there within the run-up to the US Open. In the American midwest, Medvedev can be defending 360 factors from his semifinal end final yr.

If Nadal lifts the title there (1000 factors), and Medvedev fails to a minimum of attain the quarterfinal (dropping 270 factors), the Spaniard would be the new World No. 1 and enter the US Open as the highest seed.

Live ATP Rankings as on 11.08.2022

However, possibilities of Nadal going all the best way in Cincinnati are slim. All of one of the best males’s gamers on this planet, barring Zverev as a result of damage and Novak Djokovic as a result of his unvaccinated standing, are anticipated to make up a stacked attract Cincinnati.

Nadal, enjoying his first aggressive occasion since withdrawing from the Wimbledon semifinal, is prone to be focusing extra on match sharpness and health, reasonably than on successful the trophy.