ROME — It isn’t simply Grand Slam titles that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have taken turns gathering this 12 months.
The highest two tennis gamers are additionally buying and selling the No. 1 rating backwards and forwards.
Sinner formally returned to the highest spot within the ATP rankings on Monday following his Paris Masters victory – changing Alcaraz, who had held the dignity for practically two months.
However as a result of rankings’ math and guidelines, Alcaraz will return to No. 1 subsequent Monday.
The Italian and the Spaniard are separated by so few factors now – Sinner leads with 11,500 factors to Alcaraz’s 11,250 – that it’ll come all the way down to their performances on the upcoming ATP Finals in Turin to find out who ends the 12 months at No. 1.
Factors dropping off Whereas neither Sinner nor Alcaraz are enjoying this week – apart from when the ATP Finals begin on Sunday – the rationale the rankings will change once more subsequent Monday is as a result of that is the day when the factors from every participant’s efficiency finally 12 months’s finals drops off.
Sinner subsequent week will lose the 1,500 factors he earned from profitable the finals final 12 months, whereas Alcaraz will lose solely the 200 factors that he earned after failing to advance from the group stage.
So subsequent Monday, the rankings will learn: Alcaraz 11,050 and Sinner 10,000.
And there is zero chance for another participant to maneuver into the highest two spots anytime quickly since No. 3 Alexander Zverev (5,560 factors), No. 4 Taylor Fritz (4,735) and No. 5 Novak Djokovic (4,580) path far behind.
Sinner and Alcaraz have amassed their enormous factors totals by profitable – amongst different tournaments – all 4 of this 12 months’s majors.
Sinner gained the Australian Open. Then Alcaraz beat Sinner in an epic French Open closing. Sinner obtained some revenge by beating Alcaraz within the Wimbledon closing. After which Alcaraz beat Sinner once more for the U.S. Open trophy.
ATP Finals seedings Making issues extra sophisticated is that Alcaraz might be seeded No. 1 for the finals – although he will not be ranked No. 1 getting into that match.
That is as a result of the finals makes use of one other rankings system – the “Race to Turin” that takes under consideration solely factors collected within the calendar 12 months.
Alcaraz leads Sinner by greater than 1,000 factors within the Race rankings.
Sinner misplaced floor in each techniques throughout a three-month doping suspension close to the beginning of the 12 months.
12 months-ending eventualities Sinner must win the ATP Finals and hope Alcaraz does not attain the ultimate to safe the year-end No. 1 for a second consecutive 12 months.
Alcaraz must win three matches on the finals to complete 2025 atop the rankings for the second time in his profession. Alcaraz grew to become the youngest participant to complete a 12 months at No. 1 when he achieved the feat as a 19-year-old in 2022.
As for the WTA rankings, Aryna Sabalenka has already secured the year-ending No. 1 spot.
Sinner enters Turin on a 10-match profitable streak after titles in Vienna and Paris, might be enjoying on his favourite floor – an indoor laborious court docket – and might count on loud help from his residence followers on the finals.
Alcaraz goes to Italy coming off a loss to Cameron Norrie in his Paris opener and has typically struggled when enjoying indoors.
Auger-Aliassime, Musetti nonetheless attempting to qualify The opposite gamers to qualify for the finals – which options the highest eight of the Race – up to now are: Zverev, Djokovic, Ben Shelton, Fritz and Alex de Minaur.
Paris finalist Felix Auger-Aliassime and Lorenzo Musetti are nonetheless battling for the ultimate spot, with Musetti needing to win a match in Athens this week to maneuver forward of the Canadian and qualify for the elite occasion in his residence nation.
It is also unclear, although, if Djokovic plans to play the finals at a degree in his profession the place he has stated he is focusing nearly solely on the majors.
Djokovic, who withdrew from the finals final 12 months, is enjoying in Athens this week.
If Djokovic withdraws, each Auger-Aliassime and Musetti would qualify for the finals.
The draw for the finals is slated for Thursday – when it might nonetheless be unsure who the final qualifier is.
