Djokovic Soars Into Nitto ATP Finals Contention
After the third Grand Slam of the season, the group of contenders in the ATP Race To London is becoming clearer, with Wimbledon finalists Novak Djokovic and Kevin Anderson putting themselves in good position to earn a spot at The O2 in London from 11-18 November.
Five-time Nitto ATP Finals champion Djokovic has found some of his best form, claiming his fourth title at the All England Club on Sunday to soar into fifth place in the Race with 3,355 points.
The Serbian began his season with a 6-6 record, and sat in 75th place in the Race just two months ago. But thanks to a hot streak during which he has triumphed in 19 of his past 22 matches, Djokovic has added 3,020 points, making up 90 per cent of his total.
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Only one player has tallied more points than Djokovic during those two months, and that’s Race leader Rafael Nadal, who is in first place with 5,760 points. The Spaniard, who recently captured his 11th Roland Garros trophy, reached the semi-finals at the All England Club for the first time since 2011, gaining a 1,740-point lead over second-placed Roger Federer.
Federer is still in great position to qualify for the season finale for the 16th time in 17 years. The Swiss advanced to the Wimbledon quarter-finals for the 16th time, earning 720 points.
Anderson also solidified his standing in the hopes of booking his spot at The O2 for the first time. While the South African dropped one spot to eighth with 2,820 points due to Djokovic’s 10-spot climb, Anderson is now 600 points clear of ninth-placed John Isner, who also seeks his first Nitto ATP Finals berth.
Before The Championships, there were 13 players within 585 points of Anderson, who was then in seventh. Last season, when the 6’8” right-hander reached the US Open final, Anderson finished 14th in the Race with 2,480 points. Jack Sock, the final qualifier, earned 2,765 points.
While Alexander Zverev was upset in the third round on the hallowed grass, he remains third with 3,585 points. The German is 205 points ahead of Juan Martin del Potro (3,380 points), who hopes to make an appearance at the season finale for the first time since 2013. The Argentine lost against Nadal in the Wimbledon quarter-finals in five sets.
Austrian Dominic Thiem is in sixth with 2,995 points and Croatian Marin Cilic is in seventh with 2,915 points.
Miami Open presented by Itau titlist Isner, who advanced to the semi-finals at SW19 — losing 26-24 in the fifth set against Anderson — dropped one spot to ninth, but is 610 points ahead of his nearest competition, Kei Nishikori.