Alcaraz, Sinner, and Shelton: the three tennis players who defend the most points on the North American hard court tour

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From the fine grass of Wimbledon to the abrasive concrete of North America. The hard court tour, culminating in the US Open, is about to kick off with the ATP 500 in Washington, the Masters 1000 in Canada and Cincinnati, and the New York Grand Slam as the main events. Several players will have to calculate their defending and potential points to win. However, three players stand out within the Top 10 of the ATP ranking: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Ben Shelton.

The Spaniard, whose presence in this tour remains uncertain due to a wrist injury despite his intention to return in Cincinnati, has 3,000 points to defend. Specifically, 1,000 points come from the Ohio tournament, where he aims to make a comeback, and the remaining 2,000 from his second US Open. These are crucial points to defend, especially considering that the Murcian has slipped to the third position in the ATP ranking, yielding to Alexander Zverev.

The uncertainty surrounding his wrist doesn't exempt Carlos Alcaraz from defending 3,000 points

Jannik Sinner, the world number one, despite not showcasing his best form during this tour last season, has a substantial point tally. He holds 1,900 points earned from his two finals, one in Cincinnati, where he was forced to retire at the start of the match against Alcaraz, and the other at the US Open, where he was once again dominated by the Spanish player.

In third place is Ben Shelton, whose tour began with high hopes but ended in tears. He reached the semifinals in the ATP 500 in Washington and went on to win his first Masters 1000 title in Canada. However, a shoulder injury forced him to retire in the third round of the grand event in New York, resulting in a total of 1,500 points.

The fourth position goes to one of the most consistent players on the circuit, Alex de Miñaur. The Australian, who is expected to step up his game, began the tour triumphantly by winning the Washington title in a dramatic final against Alejandro Davidovich. He then reached the quarterfinals in Canada, suffered a surprising defeat in the first round in Cincinnati, and eventually fell in a five-set quarterfinal match at the US Open. He now has to defend 1,110 points.

HEART OF A LION 🦁@alexdeminaur saves a THIRD match point to stay alive! #MubadalaCitiDCOpen pic.twitter.com/ot31GJalFj

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) July 28, 2025

In fifth place is Félix Auger-Aliassime with 1,010 points, who made a return to the Grand Slam semifinals four years later, at the same venue: US Open. A notable achievement following his quarterfinal finish in Cincinnati and an early exit in the first round in his home event in Canada. 

Taylor Fritz, a true specialist on this surface who reached the US Open final in 2024, faced challenges last year. Although he started with a semifinal appearance in Canada, his performance declined with a third-round exit in Cincinnati and a quarterfinal exit in New York. He now has to defend 1,000 points, ranking sixth highest.

Alexander Zverev, the Roland Garros champion, is one of the Top 10 players with fewer defending points. Specifically, he must defend 900 points from his semifinals in the Masters 1000 events in Canada and Cincinnati, along with a third-round exit at the US Open. Following him is Novak Djokovic, who only participated in the US Open last year, reaching the semifinals, earning 800 points that he must defend this year.

In the eighth position is Flavio Cobolli, a far cry from his performance last year. The Paris finalist has only 260 points to defend, presenting a historic opportunity to advance further in the ATP ranking.

Daniil Medvedev closes the Top 10 with a mere 170 points, garnered from a quarterfinal in Washington, a second-round exit in Canada, and early exits in Cincinnati and the US Open. Especially in the latter, he delivered one of his worst performances, but the Russian appears different this season and aims to surprise as he did with his US Open title in 2021.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz, Sinner y Shelton: los tres tenistas que más puntos defienden en la gira de pista dura norteamericana