Jannik Sinner has flipped the No. 1 battle, now aims to pull away on clay Jannik Sinner has taken the lead in the World No. 1 race in the PIF ATP Rankings, positioning himself to extend his advantage over Carlos Alcaraz during the clay-court season. The Italian, who was trailing Alcaraz by over 3,000 points at the start of March, has since surged ahead with an impressive 18-match winning streak. This includes victories at the ATP Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells, Miami, and Monte-Carlo, solidifying his status as the top seed in this week’s Madrid Open. Alcaraz entered the season with a commanding lead, having won the Australian Open and the ATP 500 event in Doha. His 16-match winning streak and early dominance in the rankings gave him a significant cushion over Sinner. However, the Italian’s recent form has dramatically shifted the dynamics of the race. Entering the third round of the Madrid tournament, Sinner leads Alcaraz by 440 points in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, providing him a strong foundation to build upon. Sinner’s path to furthering his lead includes defending 650 finalist points in the Rome Masters, where he aims to win his first ATP Masters 1000 title on home soil. He will then move to Roland Garros, where he is defending 1,300 points. The 27-time tour-level champion seeks to join Alcaraz and others in completing the Career Grand Slam. Last year, Sinner had three championship points at the clay-court major before Alcaraz’s historic five-hour, 29-minute victory. Alcaraz’s absence from key clay-court events due to a right wrist injury could further widen the gap. The 22-year-old has announced he will miss the Rome and Roland Garros tournaments, events he won in 2025. This absence means Sinner is guaranteed to extend his lead by at least 1,050 points without even competing in those events.#jannik_sinner #carlos_alcaraz #pif_atp_rankings #madrid_open #rome_masters
