Novak Djokovic will drop to his lowest position on the ATP Tour since January after a surprising loss at the 2023 Italian Open.
During the 2023 clay court season, Djokovic faced a few unexpected setbacks. He was upset in the Round of 16 at the Monte-Carlo Masters by Lorenzo Musetti and was again defeated in the quarterfinals of the Srpska Open by compatriot Dusan Lajovic.
In addition, Djokovic withdrew from the Madrid Open due to concerns over an elbow injury. After the event in the Spanish capital, he kept his world no. 1 spot by the smallest possible margin, but in his final event before turning 36, the defending champion Djokovic was defeated by Holger Rune in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open. This marked his earliest loss in Rome since a quarterfinal defeat in 2013.
Following a surprising exit in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Italian Open, the Serb fell to the 3rd place in the ATP Rankings. The latest ATP Rankings have Carlos Alcaraz at the top, followed by Daniil Medvedev who ascended to the second spot after a triumphant performance in Rome.
Carlos Alcaraz has had a remarkable season. Despite suffering a hamstring injury ahead of the Australian Open, Alcaraz returned to action at the Argentina Open, where he secured his first title since his US Open triumph.
This win marked his return to form and set the stage for his rise to the top of the ATP Rankings. Before rising to the top spot again, the Spaniard held the world number 1 ranking for 22 weeks with his 23rd week starting after the Italian Open.
Meanwhile, Daniil Medvedev, fresh off his win at the Italian Open, ascended to the 2nd spot in the ATP Rankings and leads the 2023 ATP Race. The rest of the Top 10 includes Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Holger Rune, Andrey Rublev, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and Felix Auger-Aliassime.