Welcome to Pete’s Power Rankings, where we paint a picture of the ATP Tour by looking at recent results and ranking players based on their current form, rather than the ATP’s point system.
The power rankings will be updated weekly all the way up to the National Bank Open.
During most stretches of the tennis season, there are a few build-up events before a big tournament.
That is not the case with the 2021 summer hard-court swing.
We are halfway through the competition at the Tokyo Olympics and the big guns have come to play. And Novak Djokovic’s bid for the “golden” part of his slam seems very much on track.
As the tour shifts to the hard courts for the remainder of the season, here are the ATP Power Rankings:
*Asterisk denotes player still active at the Olympics
PETE’S ATP TOUR POWER RANKINGS – Week of July 26, 2021
| 1. | Novak Djokovic | Change: – | |
| 2021 Record: 37-3 (4 Titles) | Actual Rank: 1 | Last Week Result: Olympics – QF* |
The quest for the Golden Slam is alive and well as the World No. 1 has made a smooth transition to the hard courts in Tokyo. He has cruised through the first three rounds at the Olympics in straight sets and should have little trouble going forward.
| 2. | Daniil Medvedev | Change: +4 | |
| 2021 Record: 32-8 (2 Titles) | Actual Rank: 2 | Last Week Result: Olympics – QF* |
Back on the hard courts and loving it. Medvedev had one of his better clay and grass swings and now looks comfortable on his favourite surface after three strong wins in the first three rounds in Tokyo.
| 3. | Alexander Zverev | Change: +4 | |
| 2021 Record: 30-11 (2 Titles) | Actual Rank: 5 | Last Week Result: Olympics – QF* |
The German must like his chances in Tokyo as he only dropped eight games in his first two matches and his draw is wide open after all the other seeds in his section lost.
| 4. | Matteo Berrettini | Change: -2 | |
| 2021 Record: 32-7 (2 Titles) | Actual Rank: 8 | Last Week Result: DNP |
Berrettini took a pass on the Olympics this week, but he will be coming into the summer hardcourt swing with his confidence at an all-time high after his run to the Wimbledon final.
| 5. | Stefanos Tsitsipas | Change: +6 | |
| 2021 Record: 41-11 (2 Titles) | Actual Rank: 4 | Last Week Result: Olympics – R3 |
Tsitsipas is starting to look like his former self after a couple of wins at the Olympics. It’s a good start after crashing out at Wimbledon and he has done well at the summer Masters 1000 events in the past.
| 6. | Hubert Hurkacz | Change: -2 | |
| 2021 Record: 20-13 (2 Titles) | Actual Rank: 12 | Last Week Result: Olympics – R1 |
The Pole bowed out in the first round of the Olympics, but he has generally been strong on fast surfaces in 2021, winning in Miami and reaching the semi-finals at Wimbledon. He should be a strong bet to bounce back in North America.
| 7. | Denis Shapovalov | Change: -4 | |
| 2021 Record: 22-15 | Actual Rank: 10 | Last Week Result: Gstaad – R2 |
Before switching to the hard courts, Shapovalov made one last appearance on the clay last week and it did not go well, as he was upset in his opening match in Gstaad by Vit Kopriva. That loss could blunt his momentum as he comes home for the summer.
| 8. | Andrey Rublev | Change: – | |
| 2021 Record: 36-12 (1 Title) | Actual Rank: 7 | Last Week Result: Olympics – R1 |
Most of Rublev’s best results have come on hard courts, so he should be a threat all summer. But his straight-sets, first-round loss at the Olympics was definitely not the start to the season he was hoping for.
| 9. | Pablo Carreno Busta | Change: Return to List | |
| 2021 Record: 26-9 (2 Titles) | Actual Rank: 11 | Last Week Result: Olympics – QF* |
Carreno Busta has bounced back well after another Wimbledon disappointment, winning the biggest title of his career to date in Hamburg and now reaching the quarter-finals of the Olympics. He seems to be finding his game at a good time as the summer heats up.
| 10. | Karen Khachanov | Change: – | |
| 2021 Record: 23-15 | Actual Rank: 25 | Last Week Result: Olympics – QF* |
The Russian No. 4 is backing up his run at Wimbledon with another good performance at the Olympics, advancing to the quarter-finals. Like his countrymen, he likes the speedy hard courts that are coming up on the schedule.
| 11. | Félix Auger-Aliassime | Change: -5 | |
| 2021 Record: 24-15 | Actual Rank: 15 | Last Week Result: Olympics – R1 |
Just when it looked like he was about to take a big step, Auger-Aliassime suffered a surprising setback at the Olympics, falling in round one to Max Purcell. It was even more surprising given that Purcell was not even supposed to be his opponent.
He was a last-minute replacement when Andy Murray pulled out hours before the match. That is definitely a match Auger-Aliassime will want back.
| 12. | Rafael Nadal | Change: Return to List | |
| 2021 Record: 23-4 (2 Titles) | Actual Rank: 3 | Last Week Result: DNP |
The 2008 Gold Medallist took a pass on the Olympics and will compete in his first hard-court event since Melbourne next week in Washington.
| 13. | Diego Schwartzman | Change: +1 | |
| 2021 Record: 20-13 (1 Title) | Actual Rank: 12 | Last Week Result: Olympics – R3 |
Schwartzman looked pretty good in his run at the Olympics, reaching the third round before falling to the in-form Khachanov. He has not played a lot since the clay-court season so it will be interesting to see if rust is at all a factor.
| 14. | Roger Federer | Change: -5 | |
| 2021 Record: 9-4 | Actual Rank: 9 | Last Week Result: DNP |
Since pulling out of the Olympics, there has not been much word on Federer’s health. He cited an injury set back in his withdrawal, but has not pulled out of any summer events yet so we will have to wait and see.
| 15. | Casper Ruud | Change: Return to List | |
| 2021 Record: 31-9 (3 Titles) | Actual Rank: 14 | Last Week Result: Gstaad – W |
Could Ruud be the next King of Clay? Instead of making the trip to Tokyo or even starting to practice on hard courts, the Norwegian went and won his second title in as many weeks on the surface, and his third in the last three months. If he could play like this on the hard courts, he will be a serious threat going forward.
Off the list:
- Roberto Bautista Agut (Lost in Gstaad R2)
- Marin Cilic (Lost in Olympics R2)
