AUSTRALIA and Argentina feature prominently in this week’s ATP Tour Risers and Sliders piece, with a first time finalist and some surprise packets making impressive leaps up the world rankings.

RISERS:

Sebastian Baez (Argentina)
28/12/2000 | Current Ranking: 21 (+9) | Career-High: 25

The diminutive Argentinian continues to remain on the edge of the top 20, having moved up nine spots to 21st in the world off the back of an impressive Rio Open ATP 500 title. He defeated Navone in the final, but produced wins over strong claycourters, Francisco Cerundolo and Thiago Monteiro along the way to win. the fifth title of his career.

Jordan Thompson (Australia)
20/04/1994 | Current Ranking: 32 (+8) | Career-High: 40

The Australian well and truly earned his career-high ranking this week, winning in Los Cabos to lift aloft his maiden ATP Tour title. At the 250 event, the Australian eighth seed knocked off Alexander Zverev and Casper Ruud to move up to 32nd in the world and edge closer to a top 30 appearance.

Alexei Popyrin (Australia)
05/08/1999 | Current Ranking: 38 (+8) | Career-High: 39

Incredibly making it three Australians inside the top 40, Popyrin returned to the scene of his career-best, and it was off the back of a semi-finals appearance in Doha. At the ATP 250 event, Popyrin defeated fourth seed Alexander Bublik, but fell short against eventual champion, second seeded Russian Karen Khachanov.

Mariano Navone (Argentina)
27/02/2001 | Current Ranking 60 (+53) | Career-High: 113

He had to do it the hard way working through qualifying, but Navone produced some outstanding tennis to reach the Rio Open final. Though he ultimately went down to Baez in the decider, he came away with an incredible straight sets win over a sore Cameron Norrie, as well as a come-from-behind victory over local hope and in-form young star Joao Fonseca.

Jakub Mensik (Czech Republic)
01/09/2005 | Current Ranking: 87 (+29) | Career-High: 116

The rising star out of hte Czech Republic continued to win fans over with an outstanding tournament in Doha, reaching the final. While Mensik ran out of gas against Khachanov, who could forget his incredible three-tiebreaker win over Andy Murray, his straight sets victory over top seed Andrey Rublev, and his impressive three-set victory over Gael Monfils.

SLIDERS:

Andy Murray (Great Britain)
15/05/1987 | Current Ranking: 67 (-17) | Career-High: 1

The Grand Slam champion and former world number one’s struggles in 2024 have been well documented, with the Scottish star egged on the media to retire, but he defiantly says he ha more to give. With his career success, Sir Andy Murray deserves to go out on his own terms, though he slipped another 17 spots this week after a Round 16 exit in Doha. At least he finally won his first match in 2024.

Bernabe Zapata Miralles (Spain)
12/01/1997 | Current Ranking: 143 (-50) | Career-High: 37

The former top 50 player had a tournament to forget in Rio, going down meekly in straight sets to sixth seed Laslo Djere, 63 6-1. Though a strong clay courter, Zapata Miralles has now lost his past three match – albeit against Baez and Tomas Etcheverry – with only a walkover against Cristian Garin handing him some crucial points. He still slipped a whopping 50 spots due to reaching the Rio semi-final 12 months ago.