ATP Ranking: Sinner widens the gap with Alcaraz in the battle for number one

Pedro de Pablos | 3 May 2026 | 23.12

ATP Ranking: Sinner increases the gap with Alcaraz in the fight for number one

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Jannik Sinner is the absolute king of the ATP circuit. The world number one has added the Mutua Madrid Open to his list of titles after dominating Alexander Zverev, allowing him to distance himself even further from Carlos Alcaraz with an extra 1,000 points due to not participating in the tournament last year. Now, Rome and Roland Garros are next, two tournaments where if he defends reaching the final last year, but with the peace of mind granted by the absence of the Spanish player due to his wrist injury.

After his triumph in the Spanish capital, Sinner now has 14,350 ATP points, compared to Carlos Alcaraz's 12,960. However, by not competing in Rome and Roland Garros, the Spanish player will lose another 3,000 points, leaving him with 9,960 points. If Jannik wins those two tournaments, he would have a substantial lead over the Murcian, let alone compared to the rest of the circuit, as he almost triples the points of others after winning the four Masters 1000 events held in 2026.

The third in the ranking is Alexander Zverev with 5,805 points, so not even Alcaraz should be concerned about losing the second position in the standings unless many factors come into play. However, it is equally challenging for Carlos to snatch the number one spot from Sinner for the remainder of 2026, as he also defends the title at Queen's, Cincinnati, or the US Open, in addition to the Wimbledon final, making it not easy to recover the lost advantage due to the physical setback.

Musetti, the major casualty of the top 10

Regarding the top 10, the changes have not been significant after the Mutua Madrid Open. Above all, the constant decline that Lorenzo Musetti is experiencing on the clay court swing stands out. The Italian player had an outstanding 2025 on red clay, reaching at least the semifinals in all major tournaments he played. However, this year his level has not been the same due to the physical problems he has been struggling with since the beginning of the year.

After his early exits in Monte Carlo and Madrid, Musetti has dropped to the 10th position in the ranking and still has to defend the semifinals in Rome and Roland Garros from last year. Therefore, he must find physical stability or possibly relinquish his position in the top rankings in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, he has an abundance of talent and skill, so if he regains consistency in his game, he is likely to turn the situation around.

Fils continues to rise, Jódar and Blockx have arrived

Beyond the top 10, the ongoing ascent of Arthur Fils is noteworthy since he overcame his back injury that kept him out of the circuit for half a year. The French player returned strongly, and his run to the semifinals in Madrid has placed him at the 17th position in the ranking. Considering that he will not defend any more points after Roland Garros this season, we will soon see him among the top 10 in the world.

Furthermore, other significant rises this week include Rafael Jódar and Alexander Blockx. A few months ago, both players were competing in the ATP Next Gen Finals, making a name for themselves, and today they are on the verge of breaking into the top 32, which would ensure they are seeded in every important tournament. Jódar's breakthrough has filled Spanish tennis with hope, and he appears to be in better form with each passing week, while Blockx reached the semifinals in Madrid, showing he is ready to challenge anyone. 19 and 21 years old, which is quite remarkable.

Draper, in free fall

On the other hand, we must also highlight the sharp decline of Jack Draper, who has plummeted to the 50th position in the rankings due to injuries and will likely drop further since he will not participate in the upcoming tournaments. The British player was defending the final he reached last year in Madrid, making his current situation very delicate. Another significant descent is that of Casper Ruud, who has fallen to the 25th position after exiting in the quarterfinals despite winning the tournament last year.

Even more concerning is the plunge that Grigor Dimitrov is experiencing, now sitting at 170th in the rankings and having won only two matches in 2026. It is painful to see a player who dazzled the world less than a year ago when he went two sets up against Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon. However, that same day marked the beginning of the end with a severe injury from which he has not yet recovered.

Mérida solidifies his position in the top 100

Another significant news for 'La Armada' this week is the rise of Dani Mérida into the top 100 after reaching the third round at the Mutua Madrid Open from the qualifying rounds. Without receiving wildcards or privileges, the Spanish player has earned the respect of the tennis world through hard work and sacrifice, propelling him to the 86th place in the ATP rankings. Today, he knows he will be able to compete in the main draw of Roland Garros, which will allow him to continue earning points in tournaments he had not played in before.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Ránking ATP. Sinner aumenta la brecha con Alcaraz en la lucha por el número uno