Rune on the rise in ATP rankings

Danish teenager climbs to seventh in the world despite losing Monte Carlo Masters final to Russian Rublev

MONTE CARLO:

Holger Rune rose to his highest ever ATP ranking of seven on Monday, giving the Dane some consolation for losing in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters to Russia's Andrey Rublev.

Rune, 19, lost in three sets to Rublev, who remains sixth despite winning his first ever Masters title on Sunday.

Novak Djokovic crashed out of Monte Carlo in the last 16 but enjoys a comfortable lead at the top of the rankings. Number two ranked Carlos Alcaraz missed the tournament due to back and hand injuries.

Alcaraz's compatriot Rafael Nadal rose one place to 14th even though he by-passed Monte Carlo as well.

The 36-year-old will also sit out this week's Barcelona tournament as he battles to be fully fit for his bid to win a record-extending 15th French Open, which gets underway on May 28.

Casper Ruud -- who Nadal overwhelmed in last year's French Open final -- returns to the top three despite a disappointing third-round loss at Monte Carlo.

The 24-year-old Norwegian displaces Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, who fell short of a third successive Monte Carlo crown as he bowed out in the quarterfinals.

Rankings (players representing Russia and Belarus are banned from competing under the name or flag of their countries):

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 7240 pts 2. Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) 6770 3. Casper Ruud (NOR) 5255 (+1) 4. Daniil Medvedev 5240 (+1) 5. Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) 4950 (-2) 6. Andrey Rublev 4380 7. Holger Rune (DEN) 3865 (+2) 8. Jannik Sinner (ITA) 3525 9. Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) 3450 (-2) 10. Taylor Fritz (USA) 3245 11. Karen Khachanov 2900 (+1) 12. Frances Tiafoe (USA) 2870 (-1) 13. Cameron Norrie (GBR) 2735 (+1) 14. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 2715 (+1) 15. Hubert Hurkacz (POL) 2660 (-2) 16. Alexander Zverev (GER) 2140 17. Pablo Carreno (ESP) 2095 18. Tommy Paul (USA) 2070 19. Alex de Minaur (AUS) 2050 20. Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) 1930 (+1)