The 2023 US Open: Promotions, Demotions and Other Stats

2023 US Open Champions:

• Novak Djokovic (Dai-Yokozuna)

• Cori Gauff (Maegashira, ex-Sekiwake)

New Career Sanyaku Rank:

• Marketa Vondrousova, the 47th Female Ozeki of the Open Era

• Ben Shelton, the 97th Male Komusubi of the Open Era

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Marketa Vondrousova	Ozeki	Sekiwake
Daniil Medvedev	Ozeki	Komusubi
Karolina Muchova	Sekiwake	Komusubi
Cori Gauff	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Madison Keys (ex-Ozeki)	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Ben Shelton	Komusubi	Maegashira
Demotions
Caspar Ruud	Sekiwake	Ozeki
Elina Svitolina	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Stefanos Tsitsipas (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Karen Khachanov (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Jannik Sinner	Maegashira	Komusubi
Holger Rune	Maegashira	Komusubi
Jessica Pegula	Maegashira	Komusubi

Kinboshi:
("gold star" - prize awarded to a non-sanyaku ranked competitor for beating an active Yokozuna):

• none

Other noteworthy developments:

• Dai-Yokozuna (=Great Grand Champion) Novak Djokovic continues to wrute history, adding a 24th Grand Slam title to his tally. He had therefore equalled Margaret Court's record.

• Ozeki (=Champion) Carlos Alcaraz was on a Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) run but would have needed to win the tournament - he lost his semifinal to Daniil Medvedev, who returns to Ozeki after a year and a half absence. A victory at the 2024 Australian Open would still get Alcaraz promoted to Yokozuna though.

• Aryna Sabalenka held Ozeki rank with a final participation. All the other female Ozeki - Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Elena Rybakina - lost early and go kadoban, i.e., they need to reach the quarterfinals at the 2024 Australian Open to hold rank. With the new addition of 2023 Wimbledon Chanmpion Marketa Vondrousova, there are now five Ozeki - but still no active Yokozuna - in the women's game.

• Caspar Ruud got demoted from Ozeki to Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I) after failing to reach a quarterfinal for the second consecutive time, but has a one-time chance to regain Ozeki rank with a semifinal participation at the 2024 Australian Open.

• Alexander Zverev - a former Ozeki - and Andrey Rublev held Komusubi (=Junior Champion II) rank with quarterfinal participations.

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2023 US Open

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y	-
O	Carlos Alcaraz	O	Daniil Medvedev	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
O	Caspar Ruud (o)	S	-	-
O	Alexander Zverev	K1	Andrey Rublev	K
K	Ben Shelton	K2	-	-

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
-	-	Y	-	-
O	Aryna Sabalenka	O1	Iga Swiatek (k)	O
O	Ons Jabeur (k)	O2	Elena Rybakina (k)	O
O	Marketa Vondrousova	O3	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	Cori Gauff	S1	Karolina Muchova	S
O	Madison Keys	S2	-	-
S	Elina Svitolina	K	-	-

1/ Highest sanyaku rank achieved in a player's career
Inactive Yokozuna: Rafael Nafal (Dai), Andy Murray, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka
(k): kadoban
(o): Sekiwake-Ozeki

Marketa Vondrousova, Ozeki

Marketa Vondrousova became the 47th female Ozeki

Marketa Vondrousova

of the open era by reaching the quarterfinals of the 2023 US Open. Together with her victory at the 2023 Wimbledon tournament, this suffices to cross the "great hurdle" - this is what "Ozeki" means literally in Japanese. 

Vondrousova seemed destined to do great things already in 2019, when she reached the final of the French Open at the age of 19, losing to the now retired, former Ozeki Ashleigh Barty. Injuries threw her back several years, but now she seems to have established herself among the elite for good. Vondrousova lost her quarterfinal to former Ozeki Madison Keys, apparently struggling with back issues. By now, Ozkei Aryna Sabalenka and ex-Sekiwake Coco Gauff have qualified for the final.  

In the mens' tournament, Ozeki Carlos Alcaraz is on a Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) run, but for this he needs to defeat both ex-Ozeki Daniel Medvedev in the semifinals and Dai-Yokozuna Novak Djokovic in the final. 

The Sanyaku ranking lists will be updated on Sunday once the US Open have been completed.

The 2023 Wimbledon Tournament: Promotions, Demotions, and Other Stats

2023 Wimbledon Champions:

• Carlos Alcaraz (Ozeki)

• Marketa Vondrousova (Maegashira, ex-Sekiwake)

New Career Sanyaku Rank:

• Holger Rune, the 96th Male Komusubi of the Open Era

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Marketa Vondrousova	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Elina Svitolina	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Daniil Medvedev (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Jannik Sinner	Komusubi	Maegashira
Andrey Rublev	Komusubi	Maegashira
Holger Rune	Komusubi	Maegashira
Jessica Pegula	Komusubi	Maegashira
Demotions
Alexander Zverev (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Karen Khachanov (ex-Sekiwake)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Stefanos Tsitsipas (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Karolina Muchova	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Cori Gauff (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Beatriz Haddad Maia	Maegashira	Komusubi

Kinboshi:
("gold star" - prize awarded to a non-sanyaku ranked competitor for beating an active Yokozuna):

• none

Other noteworthy developments:

• Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka were both on a Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) run, but would have needed to win the tournament to get promoted. As they reached the quarterfinal or better, however, both defended Ozeki (=Champion) rank. Also Carlos Alcaraz, Ons Jabeur and Elena Rybakina confirmed Ozeki status, while Casper Ruud goes kadoban - he needs to get to the quarterfinals at the 2023 US Open to hold rank. Alcaraz is on now on a Yokozuna run.

• Dai-Yokozuna (=Champion) Rafael Nadal missed the tournament injured and loses active Yokozuna status, as he hasn't been in a Grand Slam quarterfinal in a year.

• Former Sekiwake (= Junior Champion I) Marketa Vondrousova and Elena Svitolina returned to their former rank after lengthy absences due to injury/pregnancy, respectively.

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2023 Wimbledon Tournament

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y	-
O	Carlos Alcaraz	O	Caspar Ruud (k)	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
-	-	S	-	-
O	Stefanos Tsitsipas	K1	Karen Khachanov	S
O	Alexander Zverev	K2	Daniil Medvedev	O
K	Jannik Sinner	K3	Andrey Rublev	K
K	Holger Rune	K4	-	-

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
-	-	Y	-	-
O	Iga Swiatek	O1	Ons Jabeur	O
O	Aryna Sabalenka	O2	Elena Rybakina	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	Marketa Vondrousova	S	Elina Svitolina	S
S	Karolina Muchova	K	Jessica Pegula	K

1/ Highest sanyaku rank achieved in a player's career
Inactive Yokozuna: Rafael Nafal (Dai), Andy Murray, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka
(k): kadoban
(o): Sekiwake-Ozeki

The 2023 French Open: Promotions, Demotions and Other Stats

2023 French Open Champions:

• Novak Djokovic (Dai-Yokozuna)

• Iga Swiatek (Ozeki)

New Career Sanyaku Rank:

• Carlos Alcaraz, the 38th Male Ozeki of the Open Era

• Karolina Muchova, the 58th Female Sekiwake of the Open Era

• Beatriz Haddad Maia, the 74th Female Komusubi of the Open Era

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Carlos Alcaraz	Ozeki	Komusubi
Alexander Zverev (ex-Ozeki)	Sekiwake	Komusubi
Karolina Muchova	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Beatriz Haddad Maia	Komusubi	Maegashira
Demotions
Maetto Berretini (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Nick Kyrgios (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Andrey Rublev	Maegashira	Komusubi
Tommy Paul	Maegashira	Komusubi
Jessica Pegula	Maegashira	Komusubi
Magda Linette	Maegashira	Komusubi
Viktoria Azarenka (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Karolina Pliskova (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi

Kinboshi:
("gold star" - prize awarded to a non-sanyaku ranked competitor for beating an active Yokozuna):

• none

Other noteworthy developments:

• Dai-Yokozuna (=Great Grand Champion) Novak Djokovic won his 23rd grand slam title, thereby becoming the sole record winner of grand slam tournaments, ahead of 22-times winner Rafael Nadal. Fellow Dai-Yokozuna Nadal sat out the tournament injured and will lose active Yokozuna status if he fails to reach the seminfal at the 2023 Wimbledon tournament.

• Ozeki (=Champion) Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur, Aryna Sabalenka and Caspar Ruud all held rank with quarterfinal participtations or better. Australian Open champion Sabalenka was on a Yokozuna (=Grand Champion), which failed for now due to a loss in the semifinals to Karolina Muchova. However, Sabalenka and French Open champion Swiatek are both on active Yokozuna runs now, as either of them would be promoted to the highest rank if they win Wimbledon.

• Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I) and ex-Ozeki Stefanos Tsitsipas, Sekiwake Karen Khachanov and Komusubi and ex-Sekiwake Cori Gauff all held rank with quarterfinal participations.

Carlos Alcaraz, Ozeki

Carlos Alcaraz

Carlos Alcaraz became the 38th male Ozeki (=Champion) of the Open Era by reaching the semifinal at the 2023 French Open, following his victory at the 2022 US Open. Together these results suffice to clear the 'great hurdle' - the literal meaning of 'Ozeki' in Japanese. 

At just 20 years of age, Alcaraz is one of the younger recent Ozeki promotions. The French Open have in general be good for the current crop of Ozeki: Caspar Ruud, Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur, and Aryna Sabalenka all held rank with quarterfinal participations or better. Elena Rybakina goes kadoban as she withdrew sick - she needs to reach the quarterfinals at Wimbledon to remain an Ozeki. 

Moreover, ex-Ozeki Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev also had a successful tournament and established themselves one level below their career peak at Sekiwake (=Junior Champion II). 

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2023 French Open

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y	Rafael Nadal	Dai-Y
O	Casper Ruud	O	Carlos Alcaraz	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
O	Stefanos Tsitsipas	S1	Karen Khachanov	S
O	Alexander Zverev	S2	-	-
-	-	K	-	-

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
-	-	Y	-	-
O	Iga Swiatek	O1	Ons Jabeur	O
O	Aryna Sabalenka	O2	Elena Rybakina (k)	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	Karolina Muchova	S	-
S	Cori Gauff	K	Beatriz Haddad Maria	K

1/ Highest sanyaku rank achieved in a player's career
Inactive Yokozuna: Andy Murray, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka
(k): kadoban
(o): Sekiwake-Ozeki

The 2023 Australian Open: Promotions, Demotions, and Other Stats

2023 Australian Open Champions:

• Novak Djokovic (Dai-Yokozuna)

• Aryna Sabalenka (Komusubi, ex-Sekiwake)

New Career Sanyaku Rank:

• Elena Rybakova, the 45th Female Ozeki of the Open Era

• Aryna Sabalenka, the 46th Female Ozeki of the Open Era

• Karen Khachanov, the 79th Male Sekiwake of the Open Era

• Tommy Paul, the 95th Male Komusubi of the Open Era

• Magda Linette, the 74th Female Komusubi of the Open Era

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Elena Rybakova	Ozeki	Komusubi
Aryna Sabalenka	Ozeki	Komusubi
Carlos Alcaraz	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Stefanos Tsistispas (ex-Ozeki)	Sekiwake	Komusubi
Karen Khachanov	Sekiwake	Komusubi
Tommy Paul	Komusubi	Maegashira
Karolina Pliskova (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Vitoria Azalenka (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Demotions
Alexander Zverev (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Maetto Berretini (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Nick Kyrgios	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Carlos Alcaraz	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Cori Gauff	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Daniil Medvedev (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Jannik Sinner	Maegashira	Komusubi
Ashleigh Barty (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Alja Tomljanovic	Maegashira	Komusubi
Caroline Garcia	Maegashira	Komusubi

Kinboshi:
("gold star" - prize awarded to a non-sanyaku ranked competitor for beating an active Yokozuna):

• Mackenzie McDonald for beating Dai-Yokozuna Rafael Nadal in Round 2

Other noteworthy developments:

• Dai-Yokozuna (=Great Grand Champion) Novak Djokovic won his 22nd grand slam title, thereby equalling Rafael Nadal's record. Nadal, by contrast, has not reached a grand slam quarterfinal since the 2022 Wimbledon Tournament and needs to make the quarterfinals at Roland Garros this year to remain an active Yokozuna.

• Ozeki (=Champion) Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Caspar Ruud all exited before the quarterfinals and therefore go kadoban: they need to reach the quarterfinals at the French Open to defend rank.

• Komusubi (=Junior Champion II) Andrey Rublev and Jessica Pegula held rank with quarterfinal participations.

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2023 Australian Open

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y	Rafael Nadal	Dai-Y
O	Casper Ruud (k)	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
O	Stefanos Tsitispas	S	Karen Khachanov	S
O	Alexander Zverev	K1	Matteo Berrettini	O
S	Nick Kyrgios	K2	Carlos Alcaraz	S
K	Andrey Rublev	K3	Tommy Paul	K

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
-	-	Y	-	-
O	Iga Swiatek (k)	O1	Ons Jabeur (k)	O
O	Aryna Sabalenka	O2	Elena Rybakina	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
-	-	S	-
S	Cori Gauff	K1	Jessica Pegula	K
K	Magda Linette	K2	Viktoria Azarenka	O
O	Karolina Pliskova	K3	-	-

1/ Highest sanyaku rank achieved in a player's career
Inactive Yokozuna: Andy Murray, Venus Williams, Naomi Osaka
(k): kadoban
(o): Sekiwake-Ozeki

Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalanka, Ozeki

Elena Rybakina

Two ladies crosses the great hurdle to Ozeki (=Champion) at the 2023 Australian Open: Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalanka became the 45th and 46th female Ozeki of the open era. Both will meet on Saturday in the Australian Open final (the sanyaku rank lists will be updated once the tournament has completed). 

Rybakina earned the Ozeki promotion already with her quarterfinal victory over former Ozeki Jelena Ostapenko. She went on to defeat another ex-Ozeki - Viktoria Azarenka - in the semifinals. Rybakina's run comes two slams after her surprise Wimbledon victory in 2022, which propelled her into the elite of the sport.

Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka has been close to Ozeki before, however, previously her best grand slam runs had ended in the semifinals, last at the 2022 US Open. This time she went one step further by beating surprise semifinalist Magda Linette, who has earned a first-time promotion Komusubi (=Junior Champion II).

Ozeki Iga Swiatek had been on a Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) run, but went out in the 4th round to Rybakina. She therefore goes kadoban (i.e., needs to reach the quarterfinals at the French Open to defend rank), as does fellow Ozeki Ons Jabeur.

In the men's tournament, Komusubi Karen Khachanov secured a first-time promotion to Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I) by reaching back-to back grand slam seminals. He can even go one step further to Ozkei if he beats ex-Ozeki and current Komusubi Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semifinals. The other semifinal sees Dai-Yokozuna (Great Grand Champion)  Novak Djokovic face first-time semifinalist Tommy Paul, who has therefore also earned (at least) a Komusubi promotion.

Full updates will be posted once the tournament has completed.