Djokovic Takes Control Of Olympics Race Ahead Of Alcaraz Ahead Of 2024 Season

Djokovic Takes Control Of Olympics Race Ahead Of Alcaraz Ahead Of 2024 Season

by Nurein Ahmed

Novak Djokovic is now firmly in control of the Olympics race after winning the final two tournaments of the ATP season.

Djokovic clinched a 40th Masters crown in Paris-Bercy over a fortnight ago and added a 7th ATP Finals crown in Turin last Sunday. Djokovic finished the 2023 season with the most singles titles on tour (7).

Having clinched a record-extending eighth-year-end No. 1 ranking, he extended his dominance over the rest of the field in the Race to Paris. Djokovic compiled 6,500 points from mid-June when the Olympics race started to accrue ranking points.

Carlos Alcaraz is in second place. Having led the race for most of the second half of the season, the Spaniard was overtaken by the in-form Serbian. Alcaraz finds himself playing catchup, trailing Djokovic by 1,820 points.

Jannik Sinner is in third place thanks to a runner-up finish at the ATP Finals. The Italian ranked ahead of Daniil Medvedev, although the Russian is in front in the world rankings. Tokyo gold medalist Alexander Zverev is in fifth spot, ahead of Andrey Rublev.

Ben Shelton leads the charge among American men in 10th position. Shelton ranks higher than his more established compatriots like Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Korda, and Christopher Eubanks.

It is worth noting that one nation can only be represented by four of its best-ranked players in the tennis competition. The tennis field will feature a 64-player singles field in the main draw, of which 56 will qualify based on actual ranking on June 12, 2024.

China's Zhizhen Zhang is the only man assured of his place in the competition at the Paris Olympics. Zhang gained direct entry after winning a gold medal at the Asian Games this autumn. Spain's Rafael Nadal has not earned any points because of inactivity and will need a special exemption to compete at the event next year.

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