PARIS: Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal end the year first and second in the ATP rankings, the first time Spain has had the top two in the final standings.

The Spanish duo captured three of the four Grand Slam titles. Teenager Alcaraz won the US Open and Nadal took the Australian and French crowns.

Nadal will enter 2023 seeking to add to his record 22 Grand Slam titles though hotly pursued by Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, who is just one behind his great rival.

The 35-year-old Serbian finished the year fifth in the rankings but ended with a flourish beating Norway’s Casper Ruud to win a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals trophy.

Nadal ready ‘to die’ to return to his tennis peak

Ruud finishes the year third – displacing Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas – after a highly successful, if frustrating campaign, in which he reached the French and US Open finals.

Final rankings (Players representing Russia and Belarus are banned from competing under the name or flag of their countries):

      ====================================== 	   1. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 6820 	   2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6020 	   3. Casper Ruud (NOR) 5820 (+1)	   4. Stefanos Tsitsipas GRE) 5550 (-1)	   5. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 4820 (+3)	   6. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 4195	   7. Daniil Medvedev 4065 (-2)	   8. Andrey Rublev 3930 (-1)	   9. Taylor Fritz (USA) 3355	   10. Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 2905 (+1)	   11. Holger Rune (DEN) 2888 (-1)	   12. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2700	   13. Pablo Carreno (ESP) 2495	   14. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 2445	   15. Jannik Sinner (ITA) 2410	   16. Matteo Berrettini (ITA) 2375	   17. Marin Cilic (CRO) 2105	   18. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 2075	   19. Frances Tiafoe (USA) 2000	   20. Karen Khachanov 1990      ======================================