This will be the fight for the number 1 spot in the ATP rankings between Alcaraz and Sinner in the first half of 2026

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The victory of Carlos Alcaraz at the 2026 Australian Open has allowed him to significantly distance himself from Jannik Sinner in their particular battle for the number 1 spot in the ATP ranking. The player from Murcia has set a personal record of 13,150 points, compared to the 10,300 points of the San Candido player. However, the upcoming tournaments will be crucial to see who takes the lead before surpassing the first half of the year.

Alcaraz's withdrawal from the Rotterdam ATP 500, where he was defending the title, will make him lose 500 points at once. Additionally, in a few weeks, he will have to defend more points at the Doha ATP 500, where he reached the quarterfinals last year. Jannik Sinner, on the other hand, does not defend points until the Rome Masters 1000 (May), so he could significantly reduce the gap with the Spanish player throughout these months.

However, it's not all bad news for Alcaraz. Although he also reached the Indian Wells semifinals in 2025, it is generally a tournament where he performs well and has even won on two occasions. Additionally, in the Miami Masters 1000, he does not defend points after losing in the first round in that famous match against David Goffin that marked a turning point in his season.

The clay court season, a litmus test for Alcaraz and Sinner

The clay court season is a different story, as Carlos excelled last year. He won the Montecarlo Masters 1000 and reached the final of the Barcelona ATP 500, so he will be obliged to achieve good results if he does not want to see the gap with the San Candido player decrease. However, he did not participate in the Madrid Masters 1000, the tournament leading up to Rome, so everything will be leveled from that point on.

At that stage, a fierce battle will commence, highly dependent on Sinner's performance in the preceding tournaments, as both are likely to reach that point with little room for error. The ball is in the Italian's court, and he is under pressure to achieve good results to get as close as possible to the record numbers of the El Palmar player.

Furthermore, Carlos enters this context with soaring morale. His absence from Rotterdam is to give himself the necessary rest for the intense battle awaiting him in the coming weeks and to arrive fully charged for the American tour where he will be the one to beat. It remains to be seen at what stage of morale Jannik is after his tough loss to Djokovic in Australia, and how it affects his performance at a critical moment to make up points against his nemesis.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Así será la lucha por el número 1 del ránking ATP entre Alcaraz y Sinner en la primera mitad de 2026