Nadal New World Number 1, What Can Federer and Murray do to Catch Him?

After 41 weeks on top of the table, Andy Murray has been deposed by Spain’s Rafael Nadal. “Being No 1 after all the things that I have been going through the last couple of years is something unbelievable, so [it] is, for me, an amazing achievement to be back to that position after [a] few years, three years,” said Rafa in an ATP press release. Nadal currently has 7645 points while Andy Murray lies 2nd with 7150 points and Federer is 3rd with 7145 points.

The US Open is a week away and there are points up for grabs for every stage of the tournament. Nadal will be defending 180 points since he did not make it as far as the 4th round in the 2016 edition. Murray, who advanced as far as the quarterfinals will be defending 360 points. Federer, who skipped the tournament last year, will have the most to play for. With 2000 points ripe for the taking, Nadal and Murray will have to clear their respective hurdles to remain in contention. If either of them wins the tournament, regardless of where the other 2 finish, the winner will come away with the Number 1 seed.

Murray has the most to lose, defending 360 points this year. What will not help his cause is the fact that he had to withdraw from Montreal and Cincinnati due to a hip injury. Nadal made it into the last-16 at Wimbledon and Montreal and advanced as far as the quarterfinals in Cincinnati. But he has not had the easiest time on American hardcourts and was knocked out of the 2016 US Open in the Round of 16. Federer, like Murray has been down with an injury, as a result of which, he lost the final at Montreal and withdrew from Cincinnati.

With each player in a tight race for the title, and odds both with them and against them, it will be difficult to predict who will come out on top. Can Nadal keep the Number 1 spot or will Federer and Murray spoil the party?