The 10 major questions to resolve for the remainder of the ATP season
We analyze what the main focus points will be in the two months left of the competition in 2026 in men's tennis.
There are two months left until the ATP season comes to a close, and strong emotions are on the horizon with many important tournaments to play and numerous incentives. We analyze the 10 most notable questions for the remainder of the season. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will be key players, but there will be much more.
It has been a strange season on the ATP tour, with the injuries of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner significantly impacting the events, the more than deserving opportunism of Alexander Zverev, and the progress of young talents like Rafael Jódar. With two months left in the season, many things are still at stake and questions remain to be answered. We explain the most prominent ones.
The 10 questions to be answered on the ATP tour for the remainder of 2026
1. Will Alexander Zverev finish as the world number 1 instead of Jannik Sinner?
The German has earned a golden opportunity to challenge for the world number 1 position and end the year in that spot. He leads Sinner by 700 points in the ATP Race, setting up an exciting battle between them for the rest of the season.
2. Will we see any matches between Sinner and Alcaraz?
The Italian and the Spaniard have only faced each other once this year. It was in the now-distant Monte Carlo final, so all tennis lovers are eagerly awaiting a new episode in their rivalry.
3. Will Carlos Alcaraz add any significant titles to his resume?
The Murcian has never arrived at this stage of the season so fresh physically and mentally. Therefore, it is interpreted that he has a great opportunity to conquer unknown territories, such as the 1000 Masters in Shanghai and Paris, as well as the ATP Finals.
4. Will we have a new Masters 1000 champion?
Auger-Aliassime, Musetti, Cobolli, De Miñaur, Tiafoe, or Fils are some of the candidates dreaming of making their debut in tournaments of this caliber. They will have two shots in Shanghai and Paris.
5. Will Rafael Jódar qualify for the ATP Finals?
The young player from Madrid still has his chances intact to finish the year among the best and faces the final stretch of the season with great enthusiasm. It will be his debut in all the tournaments he contests from now until the end of the year, with the goal of securing a ticket to Turin.
6. Will Novak Djokovic be present at the major events remaining to be played?
There is maximum uncertainty surrounding Djokovic and his plans for the rest of the year. What happened in New York raised all alarms regarding his future, and it remains to be seen if he will compete in all the important tournaments. Right now, his qualification for the ATP Finals seems like a wild dream.
7. Can Ben Shelton establish himself as a candidate to challenge the dominance of the best?
The young American explored his limits at the US Open, and many see him as a serious and firm alternative to the power of Sinner, Alcaraz, and now, Zverev. The American will seek to continue progressing and adding another title to boost his confidence.
8. Who will be the standout young player in this phase of the season?
The strong performances of Blockx and Tien raise great expectations for two players who have been trailing Jódar, Fonseca, and Mensik, but who seem ready to compete at their level. It remains to be seen how the Brazilian returns from his injury and if any of the others find the season long or manage to continue evolving and achieving great success.
9. Will Stefanos Tsitsipas' resurgence continue?
One of the most positive news for tennis at the US Open was seeing the Greek display a great version of himself after years of darkness and existential and tennis crisis. It will be interesting to see if this was an isolated incident or if it truly marks the beginning of a sports resurrection process.
10. Which country will win the Davis Cup's Salad Bowl?
Despite suffering significantly due to the incompetence of the organizers, the Davis Cup remains a magical, special, and historical competition, with the fight for the Salad Bowl being one of the major incentives for the rest of the season. Italy will start as the clear favorite to defend the title, but other teams have the arguments necessary to challenge that favoritism.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Las 10 grandes incógnitas a resolver en lo que queda de temporada ATP