Ranking Reaction: Alex de Minaur breaks into Top 10 after inspired United Cup performance

There’s a brand new name in the Top 10 of the ATP rankings this week, and it couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time.

After an inspired United Cup performance that saw him defeat three Top 10 players in six days—Taylor Fritz on Monday, Novak Djokovic on Wednesday and Alexander Zverev on Saturday—Australia’s Alex de Minaur has made his own Top 10 debut, rising from No. 12 to No. 10.

He clinched the milestone with a grueling 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 victory over No. 7-ranked Zverev during Australia’s semifinal tie against Germany.

“It’s an extremely special moment, and to be able to do it in Sydney on Ken Rosewall Arena in front of friends, family, it’s a memory that I’ll cherish forever, beating another Top 10 player, a quality player, and playing an extremely high level match,” he said afterwards.

“It was very special. There was a lot to play for, but I just love every second that I have here in Sydney.”

De Minaur is the first Australian man to be in the Top 10 in 17-and-a-half years, since Lleyton Hewitt was last in the elite during the two weeks of Wimbledon from June 26th to July 9th, 2006.

He’s the 11th Australian to reach the Top 10 in ATP rankings history.

AUSTRALIANS TO REACH TOP 10 ON ATP RANKINGS (since 1973):

• John Newcombe [career-high No. 1 in 1974]
• Patrick Rafter [career-high No. 1 in 1999]
• Lleyton Hewitt [career-high No. 1 in 2001]
• Ken Rosewall [career-high No. 2 in 1975]
• Rod Laver [career-high No. 3 in 1974]
• Pat Cash [career-high No. 4 in 1988]
• Peter McNamara [career-high No. 7 in 1983]
• Tony Roche [career-high No. 8 in 1975]
• John Alexander [career-high No. 8 in 1975]
• Mark Philippoussis [career-high No. 8 in 1999]
• Alex de Minaur [career-high No. 10 in 2024]

Just a little further down the ATP rankings, 35-year-old Adrian Mannarino has broken into the Top 20 for the first time in his career, rising from No. 22 to No. 20 after helping France reach the United Cup semifinals, where they fell to eventual runners-up Poland.

It’s a fitting breakthrough for the Frenchman—he’s had 25 career wins over Top 20 players, and now he finally breaks into the Top 20 himself. He claimed four of those Top 20 wins last year, against a No. 9-ranked Hubert Hurkacz in Miami, a No. 3-ranked Daniil Medvedev in ’s-Hertogenbosch, a No. 8-ranked Fritz at Queen’s Club and most recently a No. 14-ranked Felix Auger-Aliassime in Cincinnati.

There are also a few notable jumps for some comeback kids: Rafael Nadal rises 221 spots from No. 672 to No. 451 this week after reaching the quarterfinals of Brisbane in his first tournament in almost a year; and Naomi Osaka and Angelique Kerber both reappear on the WTA rankings this week after making their comebacks from maternity leave last week, Osaka at No. 833 and Kerber at No. 657.