Welcome to Take Five, a weekly series at USOpen.org recapping five of the biggest stories of the last week on the professional tennis circuit. The ATP and WTA spotlight was on Rome last week, where Daniil Medvedev and Elena Rybakina claimed the singles trophies.
Medvedev surprises himself with first clay title in Rome
Daniil Medvedev enjoyed a red-hot run on hard courts earlier this season, reaching five straight finals and winning four titles ahead of the European clay swing. The self-proclaimed "hard-court specialist" continued his strong form on the clay of Monte Carlo and Madrid, notching two wins at each event.
But even after those performances, he was still skeptical of his chances of winning a clay title, particularly one at the ATP Masters 1000 level.
On Sunday in Rome, with a 7-5, 7-5 final victory against Holger Rune, he completed his surprise run to claim his first clay title.
"I always want to believe in myself and I always want to win the biggest tournaments in the world," said Medvedev, who lost just one set in Rome and beat Stefanos Tsitsipas, 7-5, 7-5, in the semis. "But at the same time, I didn't think I could win a Masters 1000 on clay in my career because usually I hated it, I hated playing on it. I didn't feel good on it and nothing was working.
"Before this tournament already in Madrid and Monte Carlo I wasn't feeling too bad. I thought, 'OK, let's continue'. Then when I came here I felt so good in practice and I told my coach, 'I don't know what is happening but I am feeling amazing, so let's see how it goes'. But then you have to play the toughest opponents in the world to try to make it. I am really happy I managed to do it and to prove to myself and everyone else that I am capable of doing it."
The title lifted Medvedev to world No. 2, earning him the second seed at Roland Garros. World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz will be the top seed in Paris, with Novak Djokovic seeded third.
Rybakina makes Top 5 debut with fifth WTA title
Reigning Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina won her second WTA 1000 title of this season in Rome, a result that lifted her to a new career-high WTA ranking of world No. 4.
The 23-year-old picked up three wins via retirement on her way to the title, including against Iga Swiatek in the quarters (after the pair split sets) and against Anhelina Kalinina in the final (with Rybakina up a set), with both Swiatek and Kalinina picking up thigh injuries. Rybakina also beat Jelena Ostapenko in the semis, 6-2, 6-4.
"I'm proud that I can maintain this level," Rybakina said after following up her Indian Wells triumph with another WTA 1000 crown. "It's not easy, with all the scheduling, traveling. I think we're doing a good job with the team. I can see improvements on the court, physically also. I think we're on a right way."
In addition to her two prestigious titles this season, Rybakina also reached the final at the Australian Open and in Miami to back up her Wimbledon run last summer.
Nadal to miss Roland Garros, discusses potential farewell season in 2024
While Swiatek is still planning to defend her Roland Garros women's singles title despite the thigh injury she suffered on Wednesday, 14-time men's singles champion Rafael Nadal announced on Thursday that he will miss the clay-court Grand Slam for the first time since 2004.
The 36-year-old has been struggling in his recovery from a hip injury that he picked up during the Australian Open, and has yet to compete since leaving Melbourne.
"My ambition is to try to stop to give myself an opportunity to enjoy next year," Nadal said. "That will probably be my last year on the professional tour."
Gauff/Pegula turned back by Hunter/Mertens in Rome doubles final
Competing in their third straight WTA 100 final, top-seeded Americans Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula fell just short of the Rome title. The Miami champions and Madrid finalists were beaten by Storm Sanders and Elise Mertens, 6-4, 6-4, in Saturday's final.
For the fourth-seeded champions, it was their first title as a team.
The men's doubles title in Rome was won by Hugo Nys and Jan Zielinski, who defeated Dutchmen Botic van De Zandschulp and Robin Haase, 7-5, 6-1, in Sunday's final.
Roland Garros seeds set as Alcaraz returns to No. 1
With the Roland Garros draw set for Thursday, the current ATP and WTA rankings will serve as the basis for the seedings at the year's second major.
There were big changes at the top of the men's rankings, with Alcaraz reclaiming the No. 1 spot from Djokovic and Medvedev rising to No. 2 — setting up the possibility of Alcaraz and Djokovic being placed in the same half.
In the WTA rankings, Rybakina's rise to No. 4 means she will avoid facing world No. 1 Swiatek, No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka and No. 3 Pegula until the semifinals.
