Ranking Reaction: Andrey Rublev sets new high of No. 7 to pass Federer

Andrey Rublev had been stuck at No. 8 for 25 straight weeks, largely due to the revised ranking system. That all changes this week, as he resumes his well-deserved rise up the ATP rankings by moving to a new career-high of No. 7 after reaching the biggest final of his career in Monte Carlo.

The Russian upset Rafael Nadal en route to his first Masters 1000 final, falling to Stefanos Tsitsipas.

“I feel happy with the week, but I feel super sad with the final, that I couldn’t show the game, I couldn’t show the fight, I didn’t win,” he said after his 6-3, 6-3 loss to the Greek. “But, of course, I’m happy with the week, because I beat so many great players. I beat one of the best players in history.”

Rublev switches spots this week with Roger Federer, who dips down from No. 7 to No. 8. And No. 6 isn’t too far off—the Russian trails current No. 6 Alexander Zverev by just 170 points (6,125 to 5,955).

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A little further down the ATP rankings, Jannik Sinner broke into the Top 20 for the first time, rising from No. 22 to No. 19 after reaching the second round in Monte Carlo, falling to No. 1 Novak Djokovic. The Italian teenager had gotten within striking distance of the Top 20 two weeks ago, climbing from No. 31 to No. 23—which was his Top 30 debut—after contesting his first Masters 1000 final in Miami.

“The focus is always about improving. That’s what I’m doing. That’s what I’m trying to do,” Sinner said after his 6-4, 6-2 loss to Djokovic. “I’ll try to learn from this match today as well, even if sometimes it’s tough to accept. But there is only one way to improve. I have a good team. I have the right people behind me who know what you have to do. Yeah, I hope I play once more against Novak.”

The 19-year-old Sinner is the only teenager in the Top 80 of the ATP rankings.

The two other Monte Carlo semifinalists—Casper Ruud and Dan Evans—also made notable jumps this week, both returning to their career-highs. Ruud, who fell to Rublev in the semis, rose from No. 27 to No. 24, while Evans, who upset Djokovic before falling to Tsitsipas, vaulted from No. 33 back to No. 26.

And 21-year-old Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina went from No. 58 to No. 48—his Top 50 debut—after reaching his first Masters 1000 quarterfinal, where he retired against Tsitsipas with a leg injury.

Meanwhile, over on the WTA rankings, Ons Jabeur moved up two spots to a new career-high of No. 25 after reaching the final of the WTA 250 in Charleston, where she fell to No. 165-ranked Australian Astra Sharma, who surged 45 spots up to No. 120 this week after capturing her first WTA title.