Medvedev debuts in ATP top four after US Open final agony

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 08: Daniil Medvedev of Russia returns a shot during the fourth set of his Men’s Singles final match against Rafael Nadal of Spain on day fourteen of the 2019 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 08, 2019 in the Queens borough of New York City. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images/AFP

(AFP) — Daniil Medvedev climbed to a career high of fourth in the ATP rankings on Monday after a remarkable six-week hardcourt run in North America that culminated with an agonising five-set loss to Rafael Nadal in the US Open final.

Medvedev, who won his first Masters title last month in Cincinnati, became just the third man to reach finals there, at Washington, Canada and the US Open in the same summer.

However like those before him — Ivan Lendl in 1982 and Andre Agassi in 1995 — he too finished runner-up in New York, beaten by Nadal Sunday in a pulsating contest 7-5, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-4 after four hours and 50 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Nadal meanwhile remains second but moves to within 640 points of world number one Novak Djokovic — eliminated by Stan Wawrinka in the last 16 at Flushing Meadows — after conquering his 19th Grand Slam title, just one short of third-ranked Roger Federer’s record total of 20.

Italian Matteo Berrettini shot up 12 places after to 13th after reaching the semi-finals in New York.

ATP rankings as of September 9

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 9,865 pts

2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9,225

3. Roger Federer (SUI) 7,130

4. Daniil Medvedev (RUS) 5,235 (+1)

5. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 4,575 (-1)

6. Alexander Zverev (GER) 4,095

7. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 3,420 (+1)

8. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 3,375 (-1)

9. Karen Khachanov (RUS) 2,810

10. Roberto Bautista (ESP) 2,575

11. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 2,475

12. Gaël Monfils (FRA) 2,455 (+1)

13. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2,245 (+12)

14. David Goffin (BEL) 2,055 (+1)

15. Borna Coric (CRO) 2,025 (-3)

16. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 1,995 (+5)

17. Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) 1,895 (+1)

18. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 1,870 (-1)

19. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 1,805 (+5)

20. John Isner (USA) 1,805 (-6)