Ranking Reaction: Djokovic back to No. 1, Swiatek up to No. 2, Nadal back to No. 3

After a tournament as big as Indian Wells—a Masters 1000 on the men’s side, a WTA 1000 on the women’s side—there are bound to be major shake-ups on the rankings.

And this time, it's no different.

Two of the most noteworthy post-Indian Wells shake-ups today come on the WTA rankings, as Poland's Iga Swiatek and Greece's Maria Sakkari, the women's champion and runner-up in the desert, both tie the record for highest-ranked player from their respective countries in either ATP or WTA rankings history.

After capturing the fifth WTA title of her career, and fourth at the WTA 1000 level or higher, Swiatek jumps from No. 4 to a new career-high of No. 2, tying Agnieszka Radwanska, who also reached No. 2 on the WTA rankings.

Swiatek was asked what it meant to her.

“I don’t know yet,” the 2020 Roland Garros champion replied. “I mean, it’s pretty surreal for now. I have to look at it and I have to check the rankings by myself and, I don’t know, just see it. Right now it’s too surreal to describe it, honestly.

“But I want to go higher because I feel like getting the No. 1 is closer and closer.”

Sakkari, meanwhile, rises from No. 6 to No. 3, her Top 5 debut, after reaching the biggest final of her career. Her biggest finals before this came at three WTA 500 events—San Jose in 2018, Ostrava last year and St. Petersburg earlier this year.

She ties Stefanos Tsitsipas, who reached No. 3 on the ATP rankings last year.

“When I think about it, I can’t believe there’s only two girls above me right now. I just cannot believe it right now,” Sakkari said of her new career-high. “Whoever followed my steps the last couple of years, they know what that means to me.

“It’s just that I’m very proud that myself and Stefanos have actually grown tennis in Greece. Having two players in that ranking position is something huge for us.”

Meanwhile, there are two very notable developments in the Top 5 of the ATP rankings, too, including Novak Djokovic returning to No. 1. Daniil Medvedev took over No. 1 on February 28th and held it for three weeks, but needed to reach the quarterfinals of Indian Wells to hang onto it—he fell to Gael Monfils in the third round, however, meaning Djokovic returns to the top spot for at least the two weeks of Miami, which will be his 362nd and 363rd career weeks at No. 1.

The No. 1 ranking could change hands one more time after Miami in two weeks—if Medvedev makes the semifinals he’ll take it back, otherwise Djokovic will stay on.

And despite falling to Taylor Fritz in the final of Indian Wells, which ended his perfect 20-0 start to the season, Rafael Nadal inches back up from No. 4 to No. 3 this week, switching spots with reigning ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev.

Fritz, who won by far the biggest title of his career at Indian Wells, jumps from No. 20 to No. 13 this week, soaring past his previous career-high of No. 16.