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If you’ve been following the news regarding the 2023 Madrid Open, you’ll know that a few major players aren’t competing this year. Believe it or not, this is the first time ever that Djokovic, Nadal, and Federer have all been absent from the draw. Of course, Federer is now retired, so we will cut him some slack there. But this is still an interesting fact to point out, even if it is unfortunate for the other two greats of our game.
Djokovic is nursing an elbow injury, which is why he isn’t competing this week. As for Nadal, he is still on the road to recovery from the injury he picked up at the 2023 Australian Open. Anyway, more specifically, the absence of Novak Djokovic from the draw this week has stimulated quite a discussion concerning the number one ranking. Once again, the battle for the top spot is on, and there are a few scenarios that could flip the standings after Madrid is finished.
Bear in mind that Roland Garros is quickly approaching. So any rankings adjustments at this point in the season have a direct influence on the seedings for the French Open. It’s all quite fascinating really, which is why I wanted to take you through the upcoming battle for world number one.
2023 Madrid Open and Its Possible Impact on the Top Ranking Spot
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If you’re struggling to keep up with the second Masters 1000 event of the clay court swing, I suggest checking out our Madrid Open preview. This will show you all you need to know for the upcoming event. However, bringing the focus back to the quest for the number one ranking now, there are a few critical things you need to be aware of.
No Immediate Change
Despite all of the hype surrounding the number-one ranking following Madrid, nothing will actually change. That’s because even though Djokovic is not competing at the 2023 Madrid Open, Alcaraz won the event last year. This means that he cannot increase his points total, even if he wins the tournament.
Sure, Djokovic will lose points by not competing in Madrid, but he’s far enough ahead that this won’t make a difference.
Alcaraz Can Become Number 1 on May 22nd
Here is where things get really interesting. There are two scenarios that could unfold which would result in Carlos Alcaraz becoming world number one on May 22nd. Scenario one is that he successfully defends his title at the Madrid Open and then simply turns up for the Rome Masters. This would guarantee a number-one ranking spot for the Spaniard going into the 2023 French Open.
The other scenario is that he doesn’t defend his title in Madrid, but he wins the Rome Masters instead. Basically, he must secure 1,005 points between now and May 22nd to secure the top spot.
The Rest of the Crowd
Alcaraz isn’t the only man challenging for the world number one ranking on May 22nd. Medvedev, Ruud, Tsitsipas, and Rublev could all become world number one. However, this depends on their performances over the coming weeks, with Medvedev having the highest chance of them all.
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