ATP rankings: Shelton hits career-high, Monfils and Berrettini surge
Ben Shelton is poised to become the new American No 1, while Berrettini continues his climb up the rankings
Icon SMI/Panoramic
Things are looking good for Ben Shelton heading into the 2024 clay season, as the latest ATP rankings have the American at a career-high ranking of No 14 in the world off the back of his second title in Houston this week.
Several others have also cracked career highs this Monday, with Mariano Navone making a deep run in Marrakech and Luciano Darderi performing in Houston too. We break down all the big movements in the rankings this week ahead of the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Shelton poised for US No 1 spot
Shelton has taken to clay like a duck to water this week, having never won a title on the surface before. However, plenty of reps on clay last year have paid off, as the 21-year-old lifted his second ATP title in Houston on Sunday.
Winning the ATP 250 event – where he prevailed over elder statesman Frances Tiafoe for the second time in seven months – has put Shelton in prime position to become the US No 1 in the next few months.
Taylor Fritz currently sits just one spot above Shelton on 2,765 points, compared to Shelton’s 2,490. However, Fritz has already crashed out of Monte-Carlo, while Shelton has few points to defend between now and the US Open. Expect a shift here shortly.
Others who made career-high rankings this Monday are Navone (No 51), Darderi (No 64) and Marozsan (No 37).
Monfils returns to top 40, Berrettini back in top 100
Last week was also a strong one for the returning veterans, with Gael Monfils continuing his impressive surge following an injury layoff last year. The Frenchman returns to the world’s top 40 this Monday for the first time since October 2022, courtesy of a second round finish in Estoril.
Matteo Berrettini went several steps further than Monfils, claiming his first title since 2022 to ensure his return to the world’s top 100. The Italian is now ranked No 84, having slipped as far as No 154 in the world earlier this year, thanks to a raft of injury issues.
Both Monfils and Berrettini have been ranked as high as No 6 in the ATP rankings, and will be eyeing further increases over the coming weeks.
Tiafoe, Kecmanovic slide
When some rise, others fall. Never has this been more apparent than with Tiafoe, who has struggled significantly since making the US Open quarter-finals and cracking the world’s top 10 last year.
With his loss in Houston – a tournament he won this time last year – Tiafoe falls further outside the world’s top 20 to No 23 in the ATP rankings. Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic also sees a significant slide in his ranking this Monday, dropping points from this time last year. He’s now out of the world’s top 50, sitting at No 66, a fall of 16 places.
