By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Tuesday March 19, 2024
Italy’s Luca Nardi was a Lucky Loser extraordinaire at last week’s BNP Paribas Open.
This week, he’s a winner in the rankings.
Read on for more about Nardi’s rise and other ATP rankings movers for the week of March 18, 2024.
Nardi Top 100 Debut
Luca Nardi became the star of this year’s BNP Paribas Open when he became the lowest-ranked player to ever defeat Novak Djokovic at a Masters 1000 or Grand Slam event with his three-set third-round victory over the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
This week, the 20-year-old jumps into the Top 100 (+27 to No.96) as a result of his round of 16 run in the California desert, becoming one of seven Italians inside the Top 100.
Alcaraz Stays at No.2
Last week’s battle between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner was also a battle for the ATP’s No.2 ranking. Alcaraz won it, and the title, and thus maintains a 495 point lead over the Italian in this week’s rankings. The Race to Turin is a different story — more on that below.
Zverev Top 5
The only mover inside the Top 5 was Alexander Zverev. After reaching the quarterfinals at Indian Wells, Zverev returns to the Top 5 for the first time since October 2022. The 26-year-old is 14-5 on the season, heading into Miami with momentum.
Sinner Leads the Race to Turin
Jannik Sinner still holds a big edge in the Race to Turin standings, with 2910 points. Next on the list is Daniil Medvedev, with 2160 – Alcaraz is third with 1510, and Zverev is fourth with 1445.
Notable Career-Highs
Alexander Bublik solidified his spot inside the Top 20, while 18-year-old Jakub Mensik, the youngest player inside the Top 100, jumped 11 spots to No.70. Below are five notable career-high rankings in addition to Nardi’s.
No. 18 Alexander Bublik, +2 (Career High)
No. 60 Tomas Machac, +3 (Career High)
No. 70 Jakub Mensik, +11 Career High)
No. 74 Arthur Cazaux, +3 (Career High)
No. 96 Luca Nardi, +27 (Career High)
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