Tiafoe charges back into Top 20, Mover of Week
The Cincinnati Open provided another week of thrilling ATP Masters 1000 action as Jannik Sinner clinched his tour-leading fifth title of the season. The man he overcame in the championship match, Frances Tiafoe, has surged back into the Top 20 of the PIF ATP Rankings as a result of his run in Ohio, where he became the first American finalist since John Isner in 2013.
ATPTour.com looks at the movers in the PIF ATP Rankings as of Tuesday, 20 August.
[ATP APP] No. 20 Frances Tiafoe, +7
Tiafoe’s run to the final at the Cincinnati Open has propelled the 26-year-old back into the Top 20 for the first time since March. The home favourite defeated Top 20 opponents Lorenzo Musetti, Hubert Hurkacz and Holger Rune (against whom he saved two match points) at the Masters 1000 event before falling to World No. 1 Sinner.
No. 13 Ben Shelton, +1 (Career High)
The 21-year-old Shelton strengthened his bid to crack the Top 10 with a run to his maiden Cincinnati quarter-final. The lefty overcame the big-serving threat of Reilly Opelka in his opening round, before also notching wins against Tomas Martin Etcheverry and Fabian Marozsan. Alexander Zverev edged Shelton in three sets in the last eight, but the American has nonetheless risen to a career-high No. 13.
No. 15 Holger Rune, +1
Rune’s inspired run in Cincinnati was ended in heartbreaking fashion by Tiafoe, but the Dane can still reflect on a confidence-building run in Ohio. Rune overcame tricky tests from Matteo Berrettini, Nuno Borges, Gael Monfils and Jack Draper before letting slip two match points in his semi-final defeat. He has risen one spot to No. 15 in the PIF ATP Rankings as he now prepares for the US Open.
No. 25 Jack Draper, +3 (Career High)
Draper’s impressive 2024 season continued in Cincinnati, where he reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final since 2022 to seal his rise to a career-high World No. 25. The Briton improved his Lexus ATP Head2Head record against Stefanos Tsitsipas to 2-0 with a three-set victory in the second round, while he also defeated Jaume Munar and Felix Auger-Aliassime in deciding sets.
No. 52 Alex Michelsen, +5 (Career High)
Michelsen maintained his reputation as a man who raises his game on home soil by reaching the second round as a qualifier on his Cincinnati debut. The #NextGenATP star, who is currently second in the PIF ATP Live Race To Jeddah, downed Zizou Bergs, Mackenzie McDonald and Tallon Griekspoor at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, before falling in two entertaining sets to World No. 1 Sinner. Michelsen has risen five spots to a career-high World No. 52.
Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 32 Jiri Lehecka, +3
No. 34 Tomas Martin Etcheverry, +3
No. 35 Nuno Borges, +4 (Career High)
No. 41 Zhang Zhizhen, +3
No. 59 Roman Safiullin, +7
No. 75 Aleksandar Kovacevic, +4 (Career High)
No. 79 Marton Fucsovics, +5
No. 81 Damir Dzumhur, +19
No. 82 Jaume Munar, +7
No. 100 Laslo Djere, +6
[NEWSLETTER FORM]