Carlos Alcaraz

Before the start of the ATP tournament in Rome, where he is defending his title, Djokovic had only five points more than Alcaraz.
It was enough for the Spanish tennis player to appear in Rome and thus overtake Djokovic, and Alcaraz did that with his triumph in the first round.

World number five Stefanos Tsitsipas landed 39 straight first serves en route to claiming a 3-6 6-1 7-6(5) comeback win over Dominic Thiem at the Madrid Open, with the Greek crediting his focus and relaxation for his near-perfect serving performance.

World number two Carlos Alcaraz beat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3 6-4 to win the Barcelona Open on Sunday and clinch his third ATP Tour title of the year and the ninth overall for the 19-year-old.

World number one Novak Djokovic pulled out of the Madrid Masters on Saturday, joining Rafael Nadal in missing the tournament with the French Open just five weeks away.

Both men are vying for a record-extending 23rd Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, with the tournament beginning on May 28.

BELGRADE - Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic is back in the number one spot of the ATP rankings.

He took over from Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who has failed to defend his title at the Miami Masters.

Djokovic was forced to miss the tournament.

The Serbian tops the rankings with 7,160 points and Alcaraz is in second place with 6,780 points.

MONTE CARLO - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, the world number one in men's tennis, is on the list of participants of the April 9-16 Monte Carlo Masters tournament.

Djokovic has missed the Indian Wells Masters after being denied permission to enter the US.

For the same reason, he is also likely to miss the Miami Masters, which begins on March 22.

BUENOS AIRES - Serbian tennis player Dusan Lajovic defeated Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli 6-3, 6-1 last night to advance to the quarter-finals of the Buenos Aires ATP 250 tournament.

Lajovic will next face Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who beat Serbia's Laslo Djere 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

The Lajovic vs Alcaraz tie is scheduled for Friday.

Two-time Australian Open champion Naomi Osaka became the latest star to pull out of the opening Grand Slam of the year on Jan. 8, leaving the tournament deprived of some of the biggest names in the game.

No reason for the Japanese player's withdrawal was given with organizers Tennis Australia tweeting: "We will miss her at AO2023."

Alcaraz triumphed after three hours and 21 minutes - 6:4, 2:6, 7:6(1), 6:3.
The Spaniard won the first Grand Slam title of his career in the first final he played, while Ruud lost his second final, after Roland Garros, to Nadal this year.
Alcaraz (19) became world no.1 and thus made history, as he was the first teenager to do so, and also the youngest ever to do so.

Rafael Nadal defeated close friend Richard Gasquet for the 18th time to reach the U.S. Open fourth round as world number one Iga Swiatek made the last 16 for a second successive year.

Four-time champion Nadal took his record over Gasquet to a perfect 18-0 with a 6-0, 6-1, 7-5 victory to stay on course for a 23rd Grand Slam title.