Jannik Sinner returned to the World No 1 ranking by winning the Paris Masters on Sunday, but the Italian will hold top spot for just one week before Carlos Alcaraz reclaims it at the ATP Tour Finals in Turin. Sinner defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the final without dropping a set, securing his 23rd career title and extending his indoor hard court winning streak to 26 matches.
Alcaraz became World No 1 by winning the US Open in September, but Sinner's Paris victory saw him regain the position. Both players will now compete for the year-end No 1 spot at the ATP Finals. Once Sinner's points from winning last season's ATP Finals are removed from the 52-week rankings, Alcaraz will enter the tournament with a lead of 1,050 points over the Italian.
At the ATP Finals, players receive 200 points for a round-robin win, 400 for a semi-final victory, and 500 for winning the title. An undefeated champion can earn a maximum of 1,500 points. Alcaraz, who suffered a shock second-round defeat to Cameron Norrie in Paris, will be aiming to win the event for the first time after being knocked out in the group stages last year due to illness.
Even if Sinner wins the ATP Finals undefeated, Alcaraz can retain the World No 1 spot by taking at least 500 ranking points. This could be achieved by winning all three round-robin matches, or by winning at least one round-robin match and his semi-final. Sinner must win the tournament to have any chance of catching Alcaraz, and even then, it is not in his hands.
A defeat for Sinner during the round-robin would boost Alcaraz's chances. If Sinner loses one match, Alcaraz would need just two wins; if he loses two, Alcaraz would require only one victory. After his Paris triumph, Sinner said he would focus on himself in Turin rather than the rankings race. “I watch my side and I just play the best possible tennis I can,” he stated.
