Russian Daniil Medvedev has returned for a second stint as the men's world number one, replacing Novak Djokovic at the top of the world rankings.
German Alexander Zverev rose to a career-high second spot with Djokovic slipping to third following his defeat to Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals of the French Open, which the Serb won last year.
Daniil Medvedev Photo: PHOTOSPORT
It was the first time since November, 2003, that none of Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or Andy Murray appeared in the top two rankings spots in the men's game.
Medvedev, 26, won his maiden major title at last year's U.S. Open and also reached the 2022 Australian Open final. He was glad that his rise to the top spot was "step by step".
"The number one is really tough because that's where you need to be consistent throughout 52 weeks," Medvedev, who lost to Dutch wildcard Tim van Rijthoven in the final of the ATP 250 event in Netherlands on Sunday, told the ATP.
"I would say even if you win two, three slams in a year but then you don't play any other tournament you're not going to get to number one."
Nadal was fourth in Monday's latest rankings with Britain's Andy Murray rising to 47th following his runner-up finish in Stuttgart.
The return to the top ranking will come as good news for Medvedev, who will be unable to compete at Wimbledon as Russian and Belarusian players are banned due to Moscow's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
And with Zverev recuperating from surgery due to torn ligaments in his ankle, it will mean that the grasscourt major will be without the top two-ranked men's players.
Despite his absence from Wimbledon, however, Medvedev could extend his lead at the top of the rankings as Djokovic will lose the 2,000 points he earned for his triumph in 2021.
The men's and women's tour have stripped the tournament of any rankings points due to their exclusion of players based on nationality.
There were no major moves at the top of the women's rankings with Poland's Iga Swiatek, Annett Kontaveit of Estonia and Spaniard Paula Badosa continuing to occupy the first, second and third spots respectively.
Reuters
