Jannik Sinner is likely to take the world number one ranking from Carlos Alcaraz during the clay-court season.
As the Italian missed the first part of the 2025 clay-court season, he has far fewer points to defend than Alcaraz over the coming months.
Following his opening win in Monte Carlo, Alcaraz admitted that Sinner would become world number one sooner rather than later.
Carlos Alcaraz concedes Jannik Sinner will become world number one!
Will it happen this week in Monte Carlo?
However, Alcaraz may reconsider his stance when he hears what Sinner said during his latest press conference…
Jannik Sinner’s post-Monte Carlo break gives Carlos Alcaraz a chance to stay world number one
After Sinner beat Ugo Humbert in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters, he said the following.
“Happy to play at least one more match here, and knowing also, mentally, that after this tournament I have some time off, time to relax, and then get ready for Madrid,” he said.
Sinner all-but-confirmed that he won’t be playing any more clay-court events before the Madrid Open begins.
Upcoming clay-court events
- Barcelona Open (ATP 500)
- Bavarian International Tennis Championships (ATP 500)
Alcaraz, on the other hand, is scheduled to compete in Barcelona, as the top seed.
In a statement released on the Barcelona Open’s website, sporting director Tommy Robredo confirmed Alcaraz’s appearance.
“For us, it’s a source of pride to have the best player in the world in our tournament. It has already been clear in recent years that people want to see him. [Carlos] Alcaraz is a player who does the impossible. He can pull spectacular shots out of nowhere, which makes him a player unlike any other,” said Robredo.
In 2025, Alcaraz lost to Holger Rune in the final of the Barcelona Open.
Therefore, he earned 330 points, rather than the 500 he would have received had he won the title.
If he can go all the way this time around, he’ll add 170 points to his tally, which could be crucial in the race for world number one.
Live ATP Rankings
| Rank | Name | Country | Points | Monte Carlo status |
| 1 | Carlos Alcaraz | Spain | 12,690 | 3R vs Tomas Martin Etcheverry/Terence Atmane |
| 2 | Jannik Sinner | Italy | 12,500 | 3R vs Francisco Cerundolo/Tomas Machac |
| 3 | Alexander Zverev | Germany | 5,205 | 2R vs Cristian Garin |
| 4 | Novak Djokovic | Serbia | 4,710 | – |
| 5 | Felix Auger-Aliassime | Canada | 4,000 | 2R vs Marin Cilic |
| 6 | Ben Shelton | USA | 3,900 | – |
| 7 | Taylor Fritz | USA | 3,870 | – |
| 8 | Alex de Minaur | Australia | 3,795 | 3R vs Flavio Cobolli/Alexander Blockx |
| 9 | Lorenzo Musetti | Italy | 3,625 | 2R vs Valentin Vacherot |
| 10 | Daniil Medvedev | Russia | 3,560 | 2R vs Matteo Berrettini |
Alcaraz currently leads Sinner by just 190 points in the live rankings.
The world number one ranking could be on the line in Barcelona, just as it is in Monte Carlo, but how well has Alcaraz performed at his home tournament throughout his career?
Carlos Alcaraz’s record at the Barcelona Open
Alcaraz made his debut in Barcelona back in 2019.
There, he lost in the first round of qualifying to Portugal’s Pedro Sousa.
- 2019 Barcelona Open Q1 [LOSS] vs Pedro Sousa, 7-6, 3-6, 1-6
Looking for more when he returned two years later, Alcaraz came up short once more, losing to America’s Frances Tiafoe in the first round.
- 2021 Barcelona Open 1R [LOSS] vs Frances Tiafoe, 4-6, 6-7
But after a slow start (0-2), the Spaniard quickly turned things around…
Alcaraz won the 2022 Barcelona Open, defeating his countryman Pablo Carreno Busta in the final.
- 2022 Barcelona Open 1R [WIN] vs Soon Woo Kwon, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2
- 2022 Barcelona Open 2R [WIN] vs Jaume Munar, 6-3, 6-3
- 2022 Barcelona Open QF [WIN] vs Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2
- 2022 Barcelona Open SF [WIN] vs Alex de Minaur, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4
- 2022 Barcelona Open F [WIN] vs Pablo Carreno Busta, 6-3, 6-2
He repeated the feat a year later, defending his title without dropping a set.
- 2023 Barcelona Open 1R [WIN] vs Nuno Borges, 6-3, 6-1
- 2023 Barcelona Open 2R [WIN] vs Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-3, 7-5
- 2023 Barcelona Open QF [WIN] vs Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 7-6, 6-4
- 2023 Barcelona Open SF [WIN] vs Dan Evans, 6-2, 6-2
- 2023 Barcelona Open F [WIN] vs Stefanos Tsitsipas, 6-3, 6-4
Unable to return in 2024, Alcaraz reached the final in 2025, where he lost to his Danish rival.
- 2025 Barcelona Open 1R [WIN] vs Ethan Quinn, 6-2, 7-6
- 2025 Barcelona Open 2R [WIN] vs Laslo Djere, 6-2, 6-4
- 2025 Barcelona Open QF [WIN] vs Alex de Minaur, 7-5, 6-3
- 2025 Barcelona Open SF [WIN] vs Arthur Fils, 6-2, 6-4
- 2025 Barcelona Open F [LOSS] vs Holger Rune, 6-7, 2-6
Can he go one better and lift his third title in 2026? Only time will tell.
The Barcelona Open begins on Monday, April 13.
