Novak Djokovic’s win over Rafael Nadal on Sunday not only helped Serbia secure the ATP Cup in Sydney but enabled him to close the gap on the Spaniard in the new ATP rankings released on Monday.
Djokovic won all eight of his matches last week and beat his rival 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) in the final to close the gap between the world’s top two players to just 510 points as the tour heads towards the first major of the season, next week’s Australian Open in Melbourne.
At the start of the year, the gap stood at 930 points.
The other beneficiary of last week’s action was the Russian Andrey Rublev who climbed five places to 18 on the back of his victory in Doha, the third title of his career.
ATP rankings as of January 13
1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 10,235 pts
2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 9,720
3. Roger Federer (SUI) 6,590
4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,960 (+1)
5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 5,890 (-1)
6. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 5,375
7. Alexander Zverev (GER) 3,345
8. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,870
9. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 2,640 (+1)
10. Gael Monfils (FRA) 2,565 (-1)
Barty still on top but gap narrows ahead of Australia Open
Ashley Barty holds on to top spot in the WTA rankings released Monday but Karolina Pliskova has narrowed the gap heading into the Australia Open.
Dumped out of the Brisbane International in straight sets last week, Barty retains a comfortable cushion of 1,607 points over the Czech, who went on to win the Brisbane title for the third time in four years on Sunday.
Barty is aiming to become the first Australian to win her home Grand Slam since Christine O’Neil in 1976 and continues her preparations this week in Adelaide
Naomi Osaka of Japan, beaten by Pliskova in a marathon semi-final at Brisbane, moves up one place to third at the expense of Simona Halep, who is also fine-tuning her Australian Open challenge in Adelaide.
Serena Williams, who ended a three-year title drought with victory in Sunday’s Auckland Classic final, also moves up one place to ninth.
WTA rankings on January 13:
1. Ashleigh Barty (AUS) 7,547 pts
2. Karolina Plískova (CZE) 5,940
3. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 5,496 (+1)
4. Simona Halep (ROU) 5,461 (-1)
5. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 5,075
6. Bianca Andreescu (CAN) 4,935
7. Belinda Bencic (SUI) 4,605 (+1)
8. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 4,436 (-1)
9. Serena Williams (USA) 4,215 (+1)
10. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,165 (-1)