TENNIS NEWS ~ EIGHT WOMEN • PLUS ROGER FEDERER AND RAFA NADAL IN BATTLE FOR NO. 1 RANKINGS AT U.S. OPEN 2017

Written by: Staff on 27th August 2017

TENNIS NEWS ~ EIGHT WOMEN • PLUS ROGER FEDERER AND RAFA NADAL IN BATTLE FOR NO. 1 RANKINGS AT U.S. OPEN 2017

epa06152074 Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in action against Garbine Muguruza of Spain during their semifinal match in the Western & Southern Open at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio, USA, 19 August 2017. EPA/TANNEN MAURY |

By Ricky Dimon

A whopping eight women have a chance to leave New York with the No. 1 world ranking at the conclusion of the upcoming U.S. Open. Yes, that’s just how close–and how crowded–the race is. The list includes Karolina Pliskova, Simona Halep, Garbine Muguruza, Elina Svitolina, Caroline Wozniacki, Johanna Konta, Svetlana Kuznetsova, and Venus Williams.

Pliskova is currently No. 1 for the first time in her career, but he standing atop the chart is a tenuous one–just five points ahead of Simona Halep. The Czech also has runner-up points to defend from her 2016 performance at Flushing Meadows.

Halep is the only one of the aforementioned eight who can lose in the opening round and still finish No. 1. And lose in the opening round she might. The second-ranked Romanian has a blockbuster showdown against Maria Sharapova on her hands right off the bat. Such was the cruelty of Friday’s draw ceremony, which saw Sharapova go into the field unseeded and up in the air in terms of placement.

Wozniacki, Konta, Kuznetsova, and Williams must win the U.S. Open title–and get help–in order to have a shot at snagging the top spot.

On the men’s side, the picture is much clearer. But even with the men the No. 1 ranking is up for grabs, which has not always been the case with Novak Djokovic being so far out in front so often in recent years and Andy Murray most recently gaining a borderline stranglehold on the top spot.

Rafael Nadal of Spain participates during Arthur Ashe Kids Day at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows in New York, New York, USA, 26 August 2017. EPA-EFE/PETER FOLEY

Rafael Nadal holds the distinction now, and with Murray out only Roger Federer has a chance of passing the Spaniard following this season’s fourth and final Grand Slam.

Murray would have had a shot, but the Scot withdrew on Saturday due to the hip injury that has plagued him since Wimbledon. He would have regained the top spot with a title, with a runner-up finish plus losses by Nadal prior to the semifinals and Federer at any point, or with a semifinal showing plus losses by Nadal prior to the third round and Federer prior to the semis.

Federer can become No. 1 by reaching the final, by reaching the semis if Nadal does not do the same, or by advancing to the quarters if Nadal loses in the first round. Nadal will remain No. 1 by making a final appearance, by reaching the semis as long as he loses to someone other than Federer, by winning just one match if Federer does not make it to the semis, or no matter what as long as Federer does not advance to the quarters.

Got it? Okay, good. Now just get ready for an awesome two weeks of tennis. The rest will sort itself out!