NEW YORK – Carlos Alcaraz officially returned to No. 1 in the ATP rankings for the first time in two years on Monday, replacing Janik Thinner after beating him in the US Open Men’s Finals, and Amanda Anisimova jumped to his career-high No. 4 in the WTA after finishing as a runner for Alina Sabalenka.
“It’s amazing when you achieve your own goals you set at the beginning of the year,” Alcaraz said after winning the second title in Flushing Meadows and his sixth Grand Slam trophy.
“For me,” he added, “to achieve that again…
Alcaraz rose from second place and traded places with sinners on Sunday with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 victory at Arthur Ash Stadium.
Thinner has been ranked number one since debuting in June 2024 with a 65-week stay.
Alcaraz first reached the spot in September 2022 at the age of 19 – he became the youngest in ATP history to No. 1 – winning his first major championship at the US Open that year. He abandoned that ranking in September 2023.
Alexander Zverev stayed third on Monday, while 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic, who lost to Alkaraz in the semi-finals on Friday, went from 7th to 4th to 4th to 4th.
Sabalenka ensured she would remain in first place by reaching the New York quarterfinals, then collected her second US open title in a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory at 24-year-old American Anishimova.
Anishimova’s second consecutive runner-up in the majors — she lost to Iga Swietek in the Wimbledon Finals in July — managed to climb five spots from No. 9, part of an astounding surge from the top 350 when she returned from last season’s mental health break.
Swiatek, who was eliminated in the US Open Quarter Finals by Anisimova, stayed at No. 2, followed by Coco Gauff.
Jessica Pegra skated from 4th to 7th. She faced Sabalenka in the semi-finals last week.
Naomi Osaka’s first Grand Slam semi-final since the 2021 Australia Open – she lost to Anishimoba in that round on Thursday – brought her from 24th to 14th.