Nadal Returns To Top 2 After Historic Triumph

Rafael Nadal has broken back into the Top 2 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time since 6 October 2014 as a result of a stellar clay-court swing that culminated in the Spaniard winning a 10th title at Roland Garros. It was his 15th Grand Slam championship title.

Having won 24 of his 25 matches on European red dirt in 2017, Nadal has put himself in prime position to finish the season as year-end No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time since 2013.

The 31-year-old superstar, who has won 53 of his 73 crowns on clay courts, has spent 634 weeks in the Top 10 over the course of his illustrious career. He first broke into the elite list on 25 April 2005, shortly before he captured his first major title on Parisian clay.

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Two of Nadal’s Spanish compatriots also made notable rises. Pablo Carreno Busta, who beat Grigor Dimitrov and Milos Raonic en route to the Roland Garros quarter-finals – his first appearance in the last eight of a major championship – rose four places to a career-high No. 17. Fernando Verdasco, who knocked out No. 10-ranked Alexander Zverev in the first round, rose five spots to No. 32 after reaching the Last 16 in Paris.

Kevin Anderson continues to rise back up the Emirates ATP Rankings, following a series of injuries. The South African, who defeated Nick Kyrgios in the second round en route to a fourth-round exit (l. to Cilic), jumped 19 places to No. 37.

The 21-year-old #NextGenATP Karen Khachanov moved up 14 places to No. 39 as a result of a Last 16 run (l. to Murray), which included a second-round victory over Tomas Berdych.

Czech Jiri Vesely is now seven places shy of his career-high (No. 35 on 27 April 2015) after a 15-place rise to No. 42 with a Roland Garros third-round exit (l. to Bautista Agut) and his third title at the Unicredit Czech Open in Prostejov (d. Delbonis). It was his sixth ATP Challenger Tour clay-court crown. Read ATP Challenger Spotlight

Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos was rewarded with an 18-spot rise to No. 47 by advancing to the fourth round of a Grand Slam championship for the first time (l. to Thiem). Meanwehile, Japan’s Yuichi Sugita captured his ninth ATP Challenger Tour title at the Aegon Surbiton Trophy (d. Thompson), earning a 14-place jump to a career-high of No. 64.

Also, 25-year-old American Tennys Sandgren broke into the Top 100 for the first time (at No. 100). Read Feature