Italian Open: Under and Overachievers in Rome 

After a thrilling week of tennis action in at the 94th edition of the Italian Open in Rome, we took a deep look at the under and over achievers at the clay event.

The top four ATP players did not do well in the 2024 Italian Open; instead, Alejandro Tabilo, Nicolas Jarry, and Alexander Zverev all emerged victorious.

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz were absent from the ATP Masters 1000th event owing to injuries, while Novak Djokovic unexpectedly withdrew and the defending champion Daniil Medvedev lost in the fourth round.

Zverev and Jarry met in the men’s final in Rome on Sunday in what was their seventh career meeting, with the German extending his 4-2 head-to-head lead over the Chilean as his claimed his sixth ATP masters title in Rome.

The winners and losers of the Italian capital’s Masters 1000 competition are listed below according to the ATP Rankings.

ATP Top 10 before Rome

1) Novak Djokovic – 9,990

2) Jannik Sinner – 8,860

3) Carlos Alcaraz – 7,345

4) Daniil Medvedev – 7,195

5) Alexander Zverev – 5,435

6) Andrey Rublev – 4,740

7) Casper Ruud – 4,535

8) Stefanos Tsitsipas – 3,860

9) Hubert Hurkacz – 3,730

10) Grigor Dimitrov – 3,605

Due to their lack of participation in Rome, Sinner and Alcaraz were both unable to earn any points. 

As a result, they will lose 90 and 45 points, respectively, from their runs in the 2023 competition. But Djokovic lost to Tabilo in the third round, denying him the opportunity to solidify his No. 1 ranking in the world without his competitors. 

Despite reaching the quarterfinals of the Italian Open the previous year, the Serbian will drop 130 points, meaning Sinner and Alcaraz will narrow the difference to the top spot.

Among the top four, Medvedev has taken the heaviest ranking hit as his total scores would decrease from 7,195 to 6,295 a loss of 900 points. The 2023 champion was defeated by Tommy Paul in the round of 16. 

Fifth-ranked Zverev overtook Medvedev fourth spot in the Live ATP Rankings after winning the title. With 1000 points, the German is now 50 points ahead of Medvedev after lifting the title on Sunday. 

Hubert Hurkacz and Stefanos Tsitsipas, quarterfinalists in Rome, will trade places; the Pole will go up to eighth place and the Greek down to ninth.

Live ATP Top 10 after Rome final

1) Novak Djokovic – 9,860

2) Jannik Sinner – 8,770

3) Carlos Alcaraz – 7,300

4) Daniil Medvedev – 6,295

5) Alexander Zverev – 5,995

6) Andrey Rublev – 4,700

7) Casper Ruud – 4,185

8) Hubert Hurkacz– 3,885

9) Stefanos Tsitsipas – 3,700

10) Grigor Dimitrov – 3,615

Overachievers

Jarry moved up seven spaces from 24th to 17th in the Live Rankings, which will be a new career-high position, thanks to his run to his maiden ATP Masters 1000 final.

The 28-year-old Chilean would have moved up in the rankings If he had won the title match over Zverev, but still he will move up to world No. 15. 

Jarry’s fellow Chilean, Tabilo, is poised to make history as well after improving on his victory over Djokovic to go to the semifinals. When the ATP Rankings are updated on Monday, the 26-year-old will rise seven spots to a new career-best rating of world No 25.

In the women’s category, It has been another successful tournament for the top WTA players at the 2024 Italian Open in Rome.

While world No 4 and defending champion Elena Rybakina was forced to withdraw through illness, the top three in the WTA Rankings all at least made the semi-finals.

Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka will face off in the final in Rome on Saturday in a repeat of their thrilling Madrid title match earlier this month.

Here are the WTA Rankings winners and losers from the WTA 1000 tournament in the Italian capital.

WTA Top 10 before Rome

1) Iga Swiatek – 10,910

2) Aryna Sabalenka – 7,498

3) Coco Gauff – 7,313

4) Elena Rybakina – 6,673 

5) Jessica Pegula – 4,655

6) Marketa Vondrousova – 4,090

7) Zheng Qinwen – 3,945

8) Maria Sakkari – 3,925

9) Ons Jabeur – 3,748

10) Jelena Ostapenko – 3,493

Swiatek could not lose her position as the world No.1 in Rome as she held a lead of almost 3,500 points over Sabalenka following her Madrid triumph.

The Polish star beats Sabalenka to claim her third Italian Open title to reach 11,695 points and extended her lead over the Belarusian. 

Third-ranked Coco Gauff reached the semi-finals, but this was not enough to see her overtake Sabalenka, who has ensured she will remain in second spot.

Gauff’s 325 points gained from her last four run will help her stretch her lead over Rybakina, who is set to drop 1000 points after withdrawing ahead of her title defence.

Elsewhere in the top 10, Maria Sakkari’s fourth round showing will see her climb one place to world No 7, while quarter-finalist Zheng Qinwen will drop one spot to eighth.

WTA Top 10 after Rome final

1) Iga Swiatek – 11,345

2) Aryna Sabalenka – 8,138

3) Coco Gauff – 7,638

4) Elena Rybakina – 5,673

5) Jessica Pegula – 4,655

6) Marketa Vondrousova – 4,035

7) Maria Sakkari – 3,980

8) Zheng Qinwen – 3,945

9) Ons Jabeur – 3,748

10) Jelena Ostapenko – 3,317

Overachiever

Danielle Collins continued her blistering recent form by reaching the semi-finals of the Italian Open, where she fell 5-7, 2-6 to Sabalenka.