Tennis rankings: Daniil Medvedev breaks into top four, Ashleigh Barty beats Osaka to grab top spot

Daniil Medvedev climbed to a career high of fourth in the ATP rankings on Monday after a remarkable six-week hardcourt run in North America that culminated with an agonising five-set loss to Rafael Nadal in the US Open final.

Medvedev, who won his first Masters title last month in Cincinnati, became just the third man to reach finals there, at Washington, Canada and the US Open in the same summer.

However like those before him – Ivan Lendl in 1982 and Andre Agassi in 1995 – he too finished runner-up in New York, beaten by Nadal Sunday in a pulsating contest 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 after four hours and 50 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Nadal meanwhile remains second but moves to within 640 points of world number one Novak Djokovic – eliminated by Stan Wawrinka in the last 16 at Flushing Meadows – after conquering his 19th Grand Slam title, just one short of third-ranked Roger Federer’s record total of 20.

Italian Matteo Berrettini shot up 12 places after to 13th after reaching the semi-finals in New York.

ATP rankings as of September 9:

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 9,865 pts

2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,225

3. Roger Federer (SUI) 7,130

4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,235 (+1)

5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 4,575 (-1)

6. Alexander Zverev (GER) 4,095

7. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 3,420 (+1)

8. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 3,375 (-1)

9. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 2,810

10. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,575

Andreescu jumps into top 5

US Open winner Bianca Andreescu, 200th in the world rankings a year ago, leapt into the top five on Monday, while Ashleigh Barty knocked Naomi Osaka off top spot.

Eliminated in the first qualifying round in New York a year ago, Andreescu rose 10 places to number five after beating Serena Williams in the final on Saturday.

The 19-year-old Canadian is one place behind Osaka, whose defence of her US title ended in the quarterfinals.

Barty was also knocked out in the last eight but, since she was knocked out in the fourth round in 2018, increased her ranking points total.

The Australian is just over 400 points ahead of the Czech Karolina Pliskova, who climbed one place to second.

The top two have opened a substantial gap over Elina Svitolina, who rose two spots to third after reaching the semi-finals in New York.

WTA rankings as of September 9:

1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 6,501 pts (+1)

2. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 6,125 (+1)

3. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,032 (+2)

4. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 4,846 (-3)

5. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 4,835 (+10)

6. Simona Halep (ROU) 4,803 (-2)

7. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,326 (-1)