The Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev (6th), who has won three titles in a magnificent start to 2023, came back against the German Alexander Zverev (14th) and qualified for the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells 2023 Tennis Masters 1,000.

Also Read: ATP & WTA Rankings: Most number of weeks as World No.1 Tennis Player

Medvedev prevailed 6-7(5), 7-6(5), and 7-5 in an intense match of 3 hours and 17 minutes where he not only had to overcome a first set against but also had to deal with a sprained ankle during the second set after a nasty knockdown. The Indian Wells 2023 Tennis tournament's medical services were present to treat the injury. After that, Daniil returned to the court to sign a great attack against a Zverev who wasted 15 of the 17 break points he had.

Thus, Medvedev maintained his unbeaten streak since his elimination from the Australian Open. Seeded fifth from Indian Wells and the only one capable of defeating world number one Serbian Novak Djokovic so far this year, Medvedev has not lost a match in 2023 since losing in the third round of the Australian Open. The Russian's next rival will be the Spanish Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (28). Davidovich beat Chilean Christian Garín (91) this afternoon, 6-3, 6-4, after an hour and 24 minutes of fighting.

Meanwhile, the American Taylor Fritz (5) went one step further to endorse the title achieved last year. He beat the Hungarian Marton Fucsovics (84) 6-4, 6-3. In addition, the Englishman Cameron Norrie (12) also got into the quarterfinals. He defeated the Russian Andrey Rublev (7), with partials of 6-2 and 6-4. His next adversary will be the local Francis Tiafoe (16). Tiafoe prevailed over the Chilean Alejandro Tabilo (187), by a double 6-4.

Also Read: New ATP Men's Tennis World Rankings

At the same time, the American Coco Gauff recovered after being down by a break in the third set to overcome yesterday 6-3, 1-6, and 6-4 to the Swedish Rebecca Peterson, who arrived from the qualifying round, in Indian Wells and advanced to next round. The sixth seed of the Indian Wells 2023 Tennis tournament will now face Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka beat Barbora Krejcikova (16) 6-3, 2-6, and 6-4 yesterday.

World No 1 Jannik Sinner was set to be the top seed in the men’s singles draw, and in the men’s doubles draw alongside fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti. In Sinner's absence, Novak Djokovic is set to be the top seed in Men's singles at the Paris Olympics 2024. The brackets will feature 64 players, resulting in 16 seeded players. To win the gold, one must win six matches. The top 16 pre-seeded players won't face each other in the first two rounds. The players from the same country also cannot face each other in the first two rounds.

Read Also: Last 10 Wimbledon Champions List (Men's)

Paris Olympics 2024 Men's Singles Seed

Novak Djokovic is likely making his last Olympic Games appearance and will be searching for his first gold medal. Djokovic won singles bronze at Beijing 2008 but a gold medal is the one prize he doesn't have won in his historic career.

The favourite for the gold is world No 3 and third seed, Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz is making his Olympic Games debut and coming after winning the French Open and Wimbledon, making him the most in-form player on tour.

Alexander Zverev is also a contender for the gold. World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev will compete as an authorized neutral athlete and is projected to be the fifth seed.

Men’s singles seeds (as of 22 July 2024)

1. 1) Jannik Sinner, Italy
2. Novak Djokovic, Serbia
3. Carlos Alcaraz, Spain
4. Alexander Zverev, Germany
5. Daniil Medvedev, Authorised Neutral Athlete
6. Alex de Minaur, Australia
7. Casper Ruud, Norway
8. Taylor Fritz, United States
9. Stefanos Tsitsipas, Greece
10. Tommy Paul, United States
11. Ugo Humbert, France
12. Holger Rune, Denmark
13. Lorenzo Musetti, Italy
14. Sebastian Baez, Argentina
15. Felix Auger-Aliassime, Canada
16. Arthur Fils, France

The life of a professional athlete is one of precision. Despite the capacity for careful calculation, they understand there will always be elements beyond their control. This may be why many athletes lean just as much on their pregame rituals as they do on their months of preparation. Because in the seconds before the big match, tournament, or race, who wouldn’t want any help they could get? Let's take a look at the top superstitions at Paris Olympics 2024 that will help athletes get competition-ready.

Also Read: Most Olympic Games without any medal: Monaco, Myanmar and Bangladesh in top 30

Superstitions at Paris Olympics 2024

Nadal's on-court tennis rituals

Rafael Nadal is well-known for his many behaviours, both superstitious and routine. The on-court routine of Rafael Nadal has been among the most discussed topics in tennis. In almost every match, the Spaniard takes a sip of each of his two bottles and places them in a certain position. He meticulously arranges his water bottles so that the labels face the same direction. He also follows a strict sequence of actions, such as not touching the court lines and performing a specific routine with his shirt, hair, and face before serving a shot.

Naomi Osaka and her superstitions about bottles

Four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka wants her water bottles to be completely aligned. She believes most athletes have very strong superstitions. Like Nadal, her ritual revolves around the precise arrangement of the bottles, making sure they are facing the same direction and placed in a specific order.

Also Read: All-time Olympic medal tally: USA top with 2,629 medals; India placed at 58

Daniil Medvedev's eating habits

Daniil Medvedev also has the “crazy” rituals. He had one rigid routine that he followed before every match. Although Medvedev is pretty flexible when it comes to switching up his routines, he admitted there was one thing he always had to keep the same and couldn’t do even one second too late, which is his eating habits. Medvedev always eats exactly 2 hours and 30 minutes before his matches.

Gianmarco Tamberi's signature look

Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi known for his beard, which is half shaved, has been his signature style since 2011. Tamberi won the European Athletics Championships in Rome. After the competition, when he was presented with his gold medal during the awards ceremony, he stepped on the podium with his beard fully shaven. Tamberi has been ranked as the No. 1 high jumper in Europe for 135 weeks. He will carry the Italian flag at the 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

Carissa Moore's husband wears her lucky socks

American surfer Carissa Moore, a five-time world champion, has a unique superstition that relies not on herself but on her boyfriend. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion firmly believes that her boyfriend's socks bring her good fortune on the waves.

Also Read: How many sports will there be at the Paris Olympics 2024? Which are the new ones?

Vashti Cunningham watches 'Kill Bill'

Vashti Cunningham, the American high jumper watches Kill Bill, the night before every competition. She also does Bible study along with her father before going out and getting ready for warm-up and jumping.

Novak Djokovic moved one win closer to capturing a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title when he ended 25th seed Lorenzo Musetti's dream in straight sets and sought revenge on defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz match will be the rematch of last year's final which the Spaniard won in five sets.

Also Read: Most Grand Slam finals in tennis history

If the 37-year-old Serbian wins a record-tying 25th major on Sunday, he will become the oldest champion in Wimbledon history. Djokovic, leading Alcaraz 3-2 in the ATP head2head series, will be eager to avenge that defeat and equal Roger Federer's record eight Wimbledon crowns.

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz Match Info

• Men's Singles Final: July 14, Sunday
• Venue: AELTC Wimbledon Qualifying and Community Sports Ground
• Location: London, England
• Court Surface: Grass

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz head-to-head

Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz: Form against each other

In the past two years against one another, Djokovic has three wins and Alcaraz has one. In their last match, on November 18, 2023, Djokovic won 6-3, 6-2. Djokovic has clinched nine sets against Alcaraz (64.3%), while Alcaraz has taken five. In 136 total games against one another, Djokovic has taken 77, while Alcaraz has claimed 59. When going head-to-head, Alcaraz and Djokovic have averaged 34 games and 3.5 sets in their four matches against each other.

Djokovic's 2024 performance

Djokovic has captured zero tournament victories on the year, with an overall record of 16-6. In 2024, Djokovic hasn't yet played a match on grass. He is averaging 27.3 games per match (33.2 in best-of-five matches) through his 22 matches played this year across all court surfaces, posting a 57.7% game-winning percentage. Djokovic has put up a service game-winning percentage of 82.1% on all surfaces (247-for-301 in service games) and a return game-winning percentage of 33.1% (99-for-299 in return games).

Also Read: Most Matches Played in Grand Slam

Alcaraz's 2024 performance

Alcaraz has won two of his nine tournaments this year, with an overall match record of 32-6. He has a match record of 7-1 on grass courts so far this year. Alcaraz has competed in 38 matches this year (across all court types), and 26.6 games per match (34.4 in best-of-five matches). The World No. 3 has won 35.6% of his return games this year, while also winning 83.5% of his service games.

Tennis in India is not as popular as cricket. But Indian tennis has been enjoying a good run of late. No doubt, the athletes have been neglected for many years. But thanks to their constant efforts, tennis is already set to be a revolution in the near future. In this article, we will explore the players who have achieved positions in the top 100 ATP rankings in the category of men’s singles since its inception in 1973. So Let's take a look at the 'Highest Ranked Indian Tennis Player'.

Also Read: Rohan Bopanna qualifies for Paris Olympics 2024

Highest Ranked Indian Tennis Player

10. Jasjit Singh | 89

Jasjit Singh was the first Sikh player to represent the Indian Davis Cup team. Notably, India advanced to the final in his inaugural Davis Cup appearance. Furthermore, he finished second in the 1975 Australian Open and the 1969 US Open. Jasjit achieved the world ranking of 89 in the men’s singles category on June 3, 1974.

9. Yuki Bhambri | 83

Yuki Bhambri achieved the junior no. 1 ranking in February 2009. During the same year, he secured the Junior Australian Open Boys singles title, thus becoming the fourth Indian in history to achieve such a feat at a Grand Slam championship. In 2015, Bhambri achieved a significant milestone by entering the top 100 ranking in the men’s singles division.

After that, Yuki qualified for the 2015 Australian Open, losing to Andy Murray in the first round. On April 16, 2018, Yuki reached his highest men’s singles ranking, attaining the 83rd position. In 2018, Yuki reached the third-round of the Indian Wells Masters and second round in the Miami Open, both was prestigious ATP Masters 1000 events.

8. Prajnesh Gunneswaran | 75

Prajnesh Gunneswaran turned professional towards the end of 2018. Entering the 2018 season ranked at 243, he consistently performed well, finishing the season with a career-best ranking of 104. On February 11, 2019, Prajnesh achieved a significant milestone by entering the top 100 ranking in the men’s singles division for the first time in his career. Prajnesh attained his highest career ranking of 75 on April 22, 2019. His most notable accomplishment remains the winning of a bronze medal at the 2018 Asian Games.

Also Read: [Updated] Most weeks at no.1 in tennis (male)

7. Anand Amritraj | 74

Vijay Amritraj’s younger brother Anand Amritraj has a win-loss record of 195-170. Anand secured seven singles titles throughout his career. He also contributed to India’s 1987 Davis Cup team, which advanced to the final. On November 6, 1974, he attained his highest ranking in the men’s singles division, reaching the 74th position. His most notable performance in a Grand Slam was reaching the third round of the US Open in 1974.

6. Leander Paes | 73

Leander Paes has emerged victorious in 101 matches throughout his career. His most notable performance in a Grand Slam tournament occurred in 1997, when he advanced to the third round of the US Open. Moreover, his highest singles ranking was 73. He reached that position on October 24, 1998. Leander has clinched eight Grand Slam titles in men’s doubles and 10 in the mixed doubles category.

5. Sashi Menon | 71

Sashi Menon actively participated in over 700 matches from 1970 to 1984, 15 years of his career. With a career win percentage of 46.4%, he secured four singles titles. His highest ranking in the men’s singles division was 71, achieved on October 21, 1975. 

4. Sumit Nagal | 71 

The 4th Indian men’s singles player to enter the highest ranked Indian tennis player list is Sumit Nagal. He achieved this milestone on June 17, 2024, by finishing runner-up at the Perugia ATP Challenger tournament. This performance moved him 6 spots up in the rankings. Nagal was ranked 77th last week. 

In 2024, Nagal made it to the second round of the Australian Open. He also won the men's singles title at the Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger event in Germany in June and the Chennai Open in February. Nagal has won four ATP Challenger titles since 2023 and Heilbronn was his fourth title on clay.

Also Read: Sumit Nagal reaches highest ranking of his career ahead of Wimbledon 2024

3. Somdev Devvarman | 62

Somdev Devvarman did not attain any accolades in Grand Slam tournaments, but he secured a gold medal in the men’s singles event at both the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2010 Asian Games. On July 25, 2011, Devvarman achieved his career-high ranking, reaching 62nd in the ATP Men’s Singles. Regarding his ATP titles, he attained two runner-up titles in the ATP World Tour 250 series.

2. Ramesh Krishnan | 23

Ramesh Krishnan emerged as a notable figure in the world of tennis during the era of Vijay Amritraj. With a career win-loss record of 319-285, Ramesh attained his highest individual ranking of 23 in the men’s singles category on January 28, 1985. His most notable performances at Grand Slam events include reaching the quarterfinals twice at the US Open and once at Wimbledon. Additionally, he was part of the Indian team that advanced to the Davis Cup final in 1987 and also secured eight ATP 250 series titles throughout his career.

1. Vijay Amritraj | 18

The leading figure in men’s singles tennis in India is Vijay Amritraj. Throughout his illustrious 23-year professional career, he achieved a win-loss record of 399-308. On July 7, 1980, he reached his career-high ranking of 18, a record that still stands as the highest ranked Indian tennis player in the men’s singles category. Furthermore, his notable Grand Slam performances include two quarter-final finishes at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal on Monday continued his improvement in the ATP singles rankings and reached the 71st position, the highest ranking of his career.

Also Read: Naomi Osaka loses to Bianca Andreescu in Wimbledon warm-up

Sumit Nagal, who was preparing for the Paris Olympics 2024, was ranked 77th last week. He managed to move up six places by finishing runner-up at the Perugia ATP Challenger tournament. Nagal now has 777 ATP points.

Nagal surpasses Leander Paes

Sumit Nagal also goes past Leander Paes by becoming the joint-fourth highest-ranked Indian man in ATP Rankings history. Paes had a career-high singles ranking of 73 in 1998. Ahead of Nagal and Menon, who were ranked 71st in the world in 1975, are Somdev Devvarman (62), Ramesh Krishnan (23), and Vijay Amritraj (18).

Only Indian to make it to the Paris Olympics in men's singles

By performing well recently, Sumit Nagal not only improved his ranking but also managed to secure a place in the men's singles of the Olympic Games. He is the only Indian player to make it into the men's singles draw of the Paris Olympics.

Nagal won Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger event

Nagal made it to the second round of the Australian Open at the beginning of the year but was eliminated in the first round at the French Open. Matches in the Paris Games will also be held at Roland Garros where the French Open is played.

Also Read: Rohan Bopanna qualifies for Paris Olympics 2024

Nagal had won the men's singles title at the Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger event in Germany earlier this month and the Chennai Open in February. Nagal, who is currently the best-ranked Indian singles player, has won four ATP Challenger titles since 2023 and Heilbronn was his fourth title on clay.