In the last edition of this year’s, This Week in Tennis, let’s round up the ATP Finals. Let’s also look at the Top 10 ATP players 2022.
Top 10 ATP Players 2022
It was a sensational sixth title for Novak Djokovic at the ATP Finals as he defeated Casper Ruud, 7-5, 6-3, in Turin, Italy. A close first set saw Djokovic and Ruud battle it out from the back of the court, with neither player able to break. Serving at 5-6, it looked like Ruud was going to take the first set into a tie-break; however, Djokovic had other ideas. The Serb hit an incredible inside-in forehand to put the pressure back onto the Norwegian, who made costly errors, giving the set to Djokovic.
Djokovic took control of the match in the second set, breaking Ruud’s serve before sealing the victory with an ace. This marked Djokovic’s first title at the end-of-year event in seven years. After winning his first ATP Finals title in 2008, Djokovic went on to win the event four years in a row, from 2012 to 2015. By adding another title this year, Djokovic ties Roger Federer’s record of winning the event six times.
Djokovic – the favorite for the Australian Open
Although a defeat will not be what Ruud was hoping for, it’s been an incredible year for the young Norwegian. He reached his first two major singles finals at this year’s French Open and US Open and climbed to a career-high of number 2 in the ATP rankings.
Even without gaining ranking points for winning this year’s men’s singles title at Wimbledon, Djokovic finishes the year ranked number 5 in the world. Given Djokovic’s current form, the Serb will be one of the favorites to win the Australian Open in January 2023.
Djokovic’s visa ban has been overturned, which has barred him from entering Australia. He will now be allowed to compete at next year’s Australian Open, where he is a nine-time champion.
Top 10 ATP and WTA
Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Swiatek will finish the year ranked number 1 in the ATP and WTA singles rankings for the first time in their careers.
It was a sensational season for Swiatek, which saw her win 8 WTA titles, including five masters and two major titles, and a remarkable 37-match win streak, the longest in the 21st century.
Carlos continued this season’s trend of creating new milestones, as he became the youngest ever ATP number 1 at 19 years and four months. He also picked up five ATP titles, including two masters titles, and won this year’s US Open to end his stellar 2022.
Will Swiatek and Alcaraz build on their 2022 season and add more major titles to their trophy cabinet?
Here are the top 10 year-end singles rankings:
ATP
- CarlosAlcaraz
- Rafael Nadal
- Casper Ruud
- Stefanos Tsitsipas
- Novak Djokovic
- Felix Auger-Aliassime
- Daniil Medvedev
- Andrey Rublev
- Taylor Fritz
- Hubert Hurkacz
WTA
- Iga Swiatek
- Ons Jabeur
- Jessica Pegula
- Carolina Garcia
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Maria Sakkari
- Coco Guaff
- Daria Kasatkina
- Veronika Kudermetova
- Simona Halep
