Dominic Thiem, Ozeki

Dominic Thiem

Dominic Thiem became the 32nd male Ozeki (=Champion) of the Open Era today by reaching the semifinals of the 2020 US Open. Together with reaching the final at the 2020 Australian Open - which, in this exceptional year, is the grand slam tournament preceding the US Open - this suffices to clear the ‘big hurdle’ (the meaning of ‘Ozeki’ in Japanese).  The promotion makes Thiem the highest ranking Austrian tennis player of the Open Era, surpassing Thomas Muster (the 41st male Sekiwake (=Junior Champion I) of the Open Era)

Thiem's is the first Ozeki promotion in the men's game since 2014, when Stan Wawrinka (at the Australian Open) and Marin Cilic (US Open) got promoted. The Ozeki and all other Sanyaku career lists will be updated once the tournament is completed.

And there is potential for more: also in the running for an Ozeki promotion are Alexander Zverev and Danil Medvedev. Either of them would have to reach the US Open final, however. 

In the ladies' game, Naomi Osaka reactivated her Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) status by reaching the 2020 US Open semifinals.

Fare Well, Grand Champion

A career Yokozuna (=Grand Champion) has announced her retirement: Maria Sharapova. Sharapova became the 17th female Yokozuna of the open era after winning her fifth grand slam at the 2014 French Open - almost ten years after her maiden Ozeki (=Champion) promotion following a sensational Wimbledon victory as a 17 year old. Sanyaku Tennis has Sharapova down as the 13th greatest female tennis player of the open era.

Maria Sharapova

Sharapova was not without critics. In 2016 she was suspended for 18 months after failing to stop taking a drug that had been banned recently. And she was unfortunate to play in the same era as Serena Williams, against who she held dismal career record, including eight losses at grand slam tournaments (three finals). At the same time, Sharapova brought a star power to ladies' tennis that transcended her on-court success, and that greatly benefitted the game she played.

Fare well, Grand Champion. You will be missed.

The 2020 Australian Open: Promotions, Demotions, and Other Stats

2020 Australian Open Champions:

• Novak Djokovic (Dai-Yokozuna)

• Sofia Kenin (Maegashira)

New Career Sanyaku Rank:

• Sofia Kenin, the 50st Female Sekiwake of the Open Era

• Alexander Zverev, the 92nd Male Komusubi of the Open Era

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Ashleigh Barty	Ozeki	Sekiwake
Dominic Thiem	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Sofia Kenin	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Garbine Muguruza (ex-Ozeki)	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Alexander Zverev	Komusubi	Maegashira
Stan Wawrinka (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Maegashira
Demotions
Daniil Medvedev	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Madison Keys (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Sloane Stephens (ex-Ozeki)	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Johanna Konta	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Elina Svitolina	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Bianca Andreescu	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Kei Nishikori (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Matteo Berettini	Maegashira	Komusubi
Belinda Bencic	Maegashira	Komusubi

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

• Dominic Thiem (ex-Sekiwake) - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals

• Qiang Wang - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Serena Williams in round 3

• Cori Gauff - for beating Yokozuna Naomi Ozaka in round 3

Other noteworthy developments:

• Naomi Ozaka failed to reach the quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive grand slam tournament. While Yokozuna cannot be demoted, Ozaka loses active Yokozuna status, and needs a semifinal or two quarterfinals within a year to restore it.

• Ashleigh Barty returns to Ozeki for reaching the semifinals directly after having been demoted from Ozeki to Sekiwake afte rthe US Open. Simona Halep, who was at risk of demotion (kadoban), maintains Ozeki rank for also reaching the semifinals.

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2020 Australian Open

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y1	Roger Federer	Dai-Y
Dai-Y	Rafael Nadal	Y2	-	-
-	-	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	Dominic Thiem	S	-	-
S	Danil Medvedev	K1	Alexander Zverev	K
O	Stan Wawrinka	K2	-	-

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Serena Williams	Y	-	-
O	Simona Halep	O	Ashleigh Barty	O
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	Sofia Kenin	S	Garbine Muguruza	O
O	Madison Keys	K1	Sloane Stephens	O
S	Johanna Konta	K2	Elina Svitolina	S
S	Bianca Andreescu	K3	-	-

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

The 2019 US Open: Promotions, Demotions, and Other Stats

2019 US Open Champions:

• Rafael Nadal (Dai-Yokozuna)

• Bianca Andreescu (Maegashira)

New Career Sanyaku Rank:

• Danil Medvedev, the 76th Male Sekiwake of the Open Era

• Elina Svitolina, the 48th Female Sekiwake of the Open Era

• Bianca Andreescu, the 49th Female Sekiwake of the Open Era

• Matteo Berrettini, the 91st Male Komusubi of the Open Era

• Belinda Bencic, the 68th Female Komusubi of the Open Era

Sanyaku Rank Changes

Player (career rank if different)	To	From
Promotions
Elina Svitolina	Sekiwake	Komusubi
Danil Medvedev	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Bianca Andreescu	Sekiwake	Maegashira
Matteo Berrettini	Komusubi	Maegashira
Belinda Bencic	Komusubi	Maegashira
Demotions
Madison Keys	Sekiwake	Ozeki
Sloane Stephens	Sekiwake	Ozeki
Ashleigh Barty	Sekiwake	Ozeki
Kei Nishikori	Komusubi	Sekiwake
Marin Cilic (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Juan Martin del Potro (ex-Ozeki)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Dominik Thiem (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Marketa Vondrousova (ex-Sekiwake)	Maegashira	Komusubi
Barbora Strycova	Maegashira	Komusubi

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

• Stan Wawrinka (ex-Ozeki) - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Novak Djokovic in Round 4

• Grigor Dimitrov (ex-Komusubi) - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Roger Federer the quarterfinals

• Bianca Andreescu - for beating Dai-Yokozuna Serena Williams in the final

• Belinda Bencic - for beating Yokozuna Naomi Osaka in Round 4

Other noteworthy developments:

• Dai-Yokozuna Serena Williams falls again short in a Grand Slam final - her fourth final loss in the last six tournaments - and thus remains #2 in our merit-based Open Era ranking.

• Dai-Yokozuna Rafael Nadal wins his 19th slam and is now just one title short of fellow Dai-Yokozuna Roger Federer.

• Yokozuna Naomi Osaka goes out early in the third slam in a row, and needs to reach the semifinals at the Australian Open to remain an active Yokozuna

• Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and Ashleigh Barty all lose before the quarterfinals and get demoted to Sekiwake. They are Sekiwake-Ozeki though and can regain Ozeki rank with a seminfinals at the 2020 Australian Open. Ozeki Simona Halep goes kadoban (needs to reach the quarterfinals at the Australian Open to hold rank).

• Johanna Konta holds Sekiwake rank with a quarterfinal participation.

• Danil Medvedev is the second Medvedev to get promoted to Sekiwake - the first was Andryi Medvedev in 1999.

• Ex-Komusubi Gael Monfils reaches another quarterfinal and equals now Tim Mayotte as the most succesful male Komusubi of the Open Era.

Sanyaku Ranks Following the 2019 US Open

Men

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Rafael Nadal	Y1	Roger Federer	Dai-Y
Dai-Y	Novak Djokovic	Y2	-	-
-	-	O	-	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
S	Danil Medvedev	S	-	-
S	Kei Nishikori	K	Matteo Berrettini	K

Women

Career rank 1/	East	Current Rank	West	Career rank 1/
High Sanyaku (Senior Champion Ranks)
Dai-Y	Serena Williams	Y	Naomi Osaka	Y
O	Simona Halep (k)	O	-
Lower Sanyaku (Junior Champion Ranks)
O	Madison Keys (o)	S1	Sloane Stephens (o)	O
O	Ashleigh Barty (o)	S2	Johanna Konta	S
S	Elina Svitolina	S3	Bianca Andreescu	S
K	Belinda Bencic	K	-	-

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