ATP Ranking no.1 race: Djokovic can dethrone Alcaraz, here's how

• Tennis News
• Inside Tennis

The fight for the world number one in the ATP ranking is at its climax. The protagonists are always them: Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, who has returned to an important physical form after some difficulties in the preparation tournaments on clay.

The Spaniard was the top seed in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time, at the Roland Garros 2023, after missing the Australian Open through injury. The battle is quite open, although there is currently a gap of almost 1000 points in favor of the Spanish player and between the two there is still the Russian Daniil Medvedev, who left the scene in Paris already after the first round.

The situation was somewhat simplified with the advance up to the quarterfinals of the young Spaniard, who was able to withstand the pressure and the very high expectations placed on him, especially with the absence of his compatriot Rafael Nadal, and passed the first matches without problems.

Clearly beating even the insidious Italian talent Lorenzo Musetti in the round of 16. Now the 20-year-old from Murcia, to keep the top of the standings, will have to make sure that the Serbian champion does not triumph and bring the number of Grand Slam titles won in his career to 23.

In fact, only this road remained for Nole to return to number one at the end of the Roland Garros. Beat everyone and win the tournament, proving once again that you are the best. Decisive match in the semifinals? To prevent Djokovic's great intent could be Carlos Alcaraz.

If the two were to eliminate their respective opponents in the quarterfinals, they would find themselves playing against each other in the semifinals. At that point the match would become decisive for the Paris crown, the ranking and much more in terms of records.

The Spaniard will have to beat a difficult player like Stefanos Tsitsipas (4-0 in the previous matches in favor of him), Nole will face the Russian Karen Khachanov (8-1). The numbers foreshadow a super challenge in the semifinals, which for some insiders would also be decisive for winning the title.

In fact, the tennis players of the lower part (Holger Rune and Casper Ruud above all) do not have many hopes of final victory.