With his win over Nicolas Lapentti tonight, Rafael Nadal has made it a certainty that he will take over the top ranking in men's tennis before the U.S. Open. As the ATP press release details:
The timing . . . depends on his results in Cincinnati:- If Nadal wins the title, he will become No. 1 this Monday.
- If Nadal loses in the final he will become No. 1 on August 11
- If Nadal loses in the semifinals he will become No. 1 on August 18
This makes an already enticing semifinal matchup against Novak Djokovic tomorrow all the more interesting.
