Sinner cracks, Alcaraz breathes: the decisive turning point in the battle for the world No. 1 spot
Sinner gave it his all, but his body said stop. And in the race for the world No. 1 spot, it could cost him dearly: Alcaraz is settling in a bit more comfortably at the top of the ATP rankings.
Carlos Alcaraz almost certain to finish the 2025 season as world No. 1? While the battle was raging with his closest rival Jannik Sinner, a twist of fate should allow the Spaniard to remain on the throne.
The defending champion in Shanghai, the Italian had to withdraw, plagued by cramps. An early exit in the third round that will cost him 950 points.
While the gap with Alcaraz remains reasonable in the rankings (he leads by 1340 points), it's in the Race that the world No. 1 has just opened up a significant gap. He now leads by 2540 points, with 11,040 points against 8500.
Sinner, with three tournaments remaining on his side (Vienna, Paris, and the ATP Finals), can accumulate a total of 3000 points.
He will therefore need to hope for a miracle to return to the top of men's tennis by next month. The tournaments missed due to his suspension for negligence between February and May (Doha, Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, Munich, and Madrid) also weighed in the balance.
After writing that a female player played at the Davis Cup competition, he now writes that Jannik was suspended for being carefree, rather than for cheating.