Medvedev's first round loss at French Open impacts battle for world No. 1

Paris, May 31 (IANS) Daniil Medvedev's first-round loss at the French Open here on Tuesday has taken him out of the battle for No. 1 in the ATP Rankings for the time being. However, the top spot is still up for grabs this fortnight.

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz is still in pole position to retain his place after the clay-court major. Even if he loses in the second round to Taro Daniel, a lot would need to happen for him to let slip No. 1.

If Alcaraz loses his next match, he will depart Paris with 6,500 points. World No. 3 Novak Djokovic would need to reach the final at Roland Garros to surpass that mark. On the other hand, world No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas would need to win the title to have a chance.

If the 20-year old Alcaraz advances to the fourth round, Tsitsipas will be eliminated from contention for World No. 1.

It is possible there will be a blockbuster showdown between Alcaraz and Djokovic in the semi-finals. Should that clash come to pass, there would be implications in the battle for World No. 1.

An Alcaraz win over Djokovic would guarantee his spot atop the ATP Rankings after Roland Garros. If Djokovic wins, he would give himself an opportunity to win the title and with it, World No. 1.

Medvedev's early loss also impacts the calendar-year ATP Race To Turin. The 27-year-old arrived in Paris with a healthy lead in the Live Race and with it, the battle for year-end No. 1.

But now Alcaraz, Djokovic and Tsitsipas have an opportunity to pass Medvedev, or at least make up ground. Alcaraz would need to reach the final in Paris to bump Medvedev from first, while Djokovic and Tsitsipas would both need to win the title.

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