US Open champ Djokovic clinches year-end No. 1 for 4th time

Associated PressSep 14, 2015, 4:25 PM EDT

NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic’s U.S Open title allowed him to clinch the year-end No. 1 ranking for the fourth time.

The ATP announced Monday, a day after Djokovic’s 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 2 Roger Federer in the final at Flushing Meadows, that the 28-year-old Serbian would add 2015 to 2011, 2012 and 2014 as seasons he finished atop the rankings.

“Knowing I will end the year at No. 1 keeps my mind relaxed,” Djokovic said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I have achieved a lot so far in the season, and I hope I can deliver the same game for the rest of the year.”

He is 63-5 with seven titles, including three at Grand Slam tournaments, and has reached the final at each of his past 11 events. Djokovic beat Andy Murray in the Australian Open final, lost to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final, then beat Federer in the finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.

Djokovic is currently in his third stay at No. 1, for a total of 164 weeks, the sixth most in the history of the computer rankings that began in 1973. Federer holds the record of 302.

There wasn’t much movement at the top of the ATP rankings Monday, although Marin Cilic, last year’s U.S. Open champion, went from No. 9 to No. 14 after losing to Djokovic in the semifinals. Kei Nishikori, the 2014 runner-up, slid two spots to No. 6 after a first-round exit at Flushing Meadows.

The two Italian women who met in the surprising U.S. Open final, champion Flavia Pennetta and runner-up Roberta Vinci, both made big jumps in the WTA rankings.

Pennetta rose 18 spots to a career-best No. 8 on Monday, two days after beating Vinci to become, at 33, the oldest first-time Grand Slam champion. Vinci, who stunned Serena Williams in the semifinals, went from 43rd to 19th.

Williams remained at No. 1 – like Djokovic, she already is assured of finishing the year in the top spot – followed by No. 2 Simona Halep, No. 3 Maria Sharapova and No. 4 Petra Kvitova.

Gael Monfils withdraws from French Open with wrist injury

Associated PressJun 1, 2023, 11:34 AM EDT

Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports

PARIS — A thrilling five-set victory took a toll on Gael Monfils, whose withdrawal from the French Open handed No. 6 Holger Rune a walkover to the third round.

The 36-year-old Frenchman said he has a strained left wrist and can’t continue.

He battled Sebastian Baez for nearly four hours on Court Philippe Chatrier before beating the Argentine 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, 1-6, 7-5 in a first-round match that ended at 12:18 a.m. local time.

The victory was Monfils’ first at tour level this year, as the veteran was coming back from heel surgery.

“Actually, physically, I’m quite fine. But I had the problem with my wrist that I cannot solve,” he said. “The doctor say was not good to play with that type of injury. Yesterday was actually very risky, and then today definitely say I should stop.”

Monfils reached the semifinals at the French Open in 2008 and made it to the quarterfinals on three other occasions.

Mikael Ymer fined about $40K after default for hitting umpire stand with racket

Associated PressMay 31, 2023, 3:55 PM EDT

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

PARIS — Swedish tennis player Mikael Ymer was docked about $40,000 after being disqualified for smashing his racket against the umpire’s chair at a tournament the week before he competed at the French Open.

An ATP Tour spokesman said Ymer forfeited about $10,500 in prize money and 20 rankings he earned for reaching the second round of the Lyon Open. Ymer also was handed an on-site fine of about $29,000.

The spokesman said the ATP Fines Committee will conduct a review of what happened to determine whether any additional penalties are warranted.

The 56th-ranked Ymer, who is 24 and owns a victory over current No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, was defaulted in Lyon for an outburst late in the first set against French teenager Arthur Fils last week.

Ymer was upset that the chair umpire would not check a ball mark after a shot by Fils landed near a line. As the players went to the sideline for the ensuing changeover, Ymer smacked the base of the umpire’s stand with his racket twice – destroying his equipment and damaging the chair.

That led to Ymer’s disqualification, making Fils the winner of the match.

After his 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 loss to 17th-seeded Lorenzo Musetti in the first round at Roland Garros, Ymer was asked whether he wanted to explain why he reacted the way he did in Lyon.

“With all due respect, I think it’s pretty clear from the video what caused it and why I reacted the way I reacted. Not justifying it at all, of course,” Ymer replied. “But for me to sit here and to explain? I think it’s pretty clear what led me to that place. I think that’s pretty clear in the video.”