Ranking Reaction: Ugo Humbert breaks into Top 20 after hometown triumph in Metz

Today is a big day for one of the biggest giant slayers in the game, as Ugo Humbert—who’s had 20 wins over Top 20 players in his career—finally breaks into the Top 20 himself.

Humbert captured the fourth ATP title of his career at the indoor event in Metz last week, which propels him from No. 23 to a new career-high of No. 20 on this week’s ATP rankings.

And it’s been a journey for the 25-year-old Frenchman. After going as high as No. 25 on the ATP rankings in 2021, he found himself as low as No. 157 in 2022—he was actually down at No. 108 as recently as this January. But now, after a season that not only includes the Metz title but also three semifinals in Newport, Atlanta and Basel, three quarterfinals in Washington D.C., Beijing and Shanghai and even a pair of Challenger 175 titles during the clay court season, he’s now inside the Top 20.

But the icing on the cake was winning in his hometown.

“It was my dream when I was young to win this tournament,” Humbert, who was born in Metz, told ATPTour.com after defeating Alexander Shevchenko in the final, 6-3, 6-3. “It’s just amazing. I have a lot of feelings now, I can’t describe it. It’s so incredible to win here in my hometown in front of my family. To finish strong like this, it’s just an amazing feeling."

Humbert is now right where he belongs, the Top 20—in fact, among his 20 career Top 20 wins are nine career Top 10 wins, so could he be headed towards an even higher elite in 2024?

There are a few big ranking debuts a bit further down the rankings, starting with Shevchenko, who rises from No. 63 to No. 49—his Top 50 debut—after reaching his first ATP final in Metz.

And then there’s 19-year-old American rising star Alex Michelsen, who cracks the Top 100 after winning the Challenger event in Knoxville, Tennessee, rising from No. 114 to No. 99.

Michelsen burst into prominence in the summer, reaching his first ATP final in Newport in just his second ATP main draw played. He would finish runner-up to Adrian Mannarino at the grass-court event, but that’s just one of his many highlights this season, as he’s also picked up his first two Challenger titles and won the first Grand Slam match of his career at the US Open, downing former Top 20 player Albert Ramos-Vinolas before falling to current Top 20 player Nicolas Jarry.

Now, Michelsen is the youngest player in the ATP Top 150.

And last but certainly not least, more good news for American tennis as Emma Navarro rises from No. 38 to a new career-high of No. 33 on the WTA rankings after winning a $100,000 ITF Circuit event on clay in Charleston. Navarro left the US Open ranked No. 61 but has won 19 of 22 matches since then across all levels and hs since almost halved that ranking.