The 4 Major Challenges for Alcaraz's End of Season
Maintain his world number one ranking
With 1000 points to defend by the end of the season (including the title in Beijing), the world number one spot should very well remain in the hands of the Spaniard, barring a complete collapse. The latter, who had not topped the ATP rankings since September 2023 (09/04), alternated between second and third place for nearly two years.
On his side, Sinner will have 2830 points at stake (Beijing final, Shanghai victory, and ATP Finals). He could also add 500 points if he succeeds at the Vienna tournament, which he recently announced his participation in.
A first victory in Shanghai, Paris-Bercy and/or the ATP Finals?
We know that the season is grueling on the body, and the end-of-year tournaments often result in a large number of withdrawals and underperformances. That is why the native of El Palmar, who has yet to win any of these three tournaments, will surely be eager to achieve great results. His best results to date are a quarterfinal in Shanghai (2024) and a semifinal at the Masters (6-3, 6-2).
Ten titles this season?
With three more trophies, the 22-year-old player would end the year with 10 titles, which would place him in a very exclusive circle of players who have achieved this feat: Pete Sampras (1994), Thomas Muster (1995), Roger Federer (2004, 2005, 2006), Rafael Nadal (2005, 2013), and Novak Djokovic (2011, 2015).
The Davis Cup with Spain?
Absent for the match against Denmark, the Spanish team might need its best player if it qualifies for the final phase. For reference, the selection led by David Ferrer lost in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands, while at the same time, their legend Nadal drew a definitive line on his professional career.
Shanghai 
