Sinner Within Striking Distance of No.1

A few days after calling the No.1 ranking an impossibility, Jannik Sinner is now four wins from vaulting past Carlos Alcaraz and returning to No.1. The Italian, whose 65-week reign atop the ATP rankings ended after the US Open, will make a second appearance as No.1 if he wins the title in Paris. 

He’s the heavy favorite to do that, given that he enters today’s round of 16 carrying a 22-match indoor hard court winning streak and Carlos Alcaraz has already been eliminated from the draw. 

Still, locking down the year-end No.1 will be a difficult challenge for Sinner. The 24-year-old has 1500 points to defend for winning his Nitto ATP Finals title undefeated last year, while Alcaraz has only 200 points to defend for going 1-2 in Turin. 

Sinner would have a 250-point lead over Alcaraz if he does win the title in Paris, with the rest to be decided in Turin. 

Alcaraz, in his fifth stint at No.1, has held the top spot for eight weeks, and 44 overall. He was defeated in his first match in Paris, falling to Cameron Norrie. 

Sinner (65) and Alcaraz (44) are 12th and 14th respectively on the ATP’s all-time list for total weeks at No.1.