Alexander Zverev tells Carlos Alcaraz to forget the No. 1 ranking “since it went to Jannik Sinner”

Alexander Zverev believes Jannik Sinner has taken top spot at the end of the year and says the battle for second place in the ATP rankings will be a close race between him and Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner leads the live rankings by 4,000 points over Alcaraz, while Zverev is a further 135 points behind in third place.

But the Italian is not yet mathematically certain of finishing the year in first place as he can still be overtaken as he will lose 1,680 points over the remainder of the 2024 season.

From now on, Alcaraz only defends 500 points and Zverev 580 points.

Live ATP Rankings

1. Jannik Sinner – 11,010
2. Carlos Alcaraz – 7,010
3. Alexander Zverev – 6,705

There are also three major tournaments on the calendar, with 1,000 points awarded to the winner of the Shanghai Open and Paris Masters, while an undefeated champion receives 1,500 points at the ATP Finals in Turin.

However, Zverev believes Sinner has done enough to become the first Italian to end the year at No. 1 in the rankings and that the German now has his sights set on second place.

Sinner and Alcaraz only have three tournaments left on the ATP calendar as they will take place in Shanghai, Paris and Turin.

Zverev will also play in these events, but he will have the chance to earn additional points as he also competed in the ATP 500 Vienna Open.

“For me personally it would be great to finish the year ranked No. 2 in the world,” he said.

“I think first place went to Jannik, he made sure of it during the US Open. I think things were pretty open between Jannik, Carlos and me before the US Open.

“I think it would be great for me to finish second and start the year there. Of course I know that Carlos is playing great tennis right now, he is in Beijing to make up points and I know that I have to do my best to achieve this goal.”

ATP News

Carlos Alcaraz beats Jannik Sinner to claim Shanghai Masters title while Novak Djokovic is on the rise – our predictions

Shanghai Masters draw: Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz in the same half, Novak Djokovic could face rising American star

The German has a win-loss record of 57-18 so far this year, having won one title – the Italian Open – and finishing second to Alcaraz at Roland Garros.

He then reached the fourth round at Wimbledon and the quarterfinals at the US Open before withdrawing from the China Open due to pneumonia.

“I feel like my season was a little patchy. I had great moments, I think I had very stable moments at the beginning of the season,” he said.

“You know, the clay court season was of course great for me, the victory in Rome, reaching the final of the French Open, of course a very bitter end, the end of the French Open, but that’s just how it is.”

“I felt like I had played the best tennis of my life on the grass at Wimbledon this year until I got injured. I feel like my level maybe dropped a little bit after the Olympics, but again I had physical problems, I wasn't healthy. I didn't know what it was.

“I had a very bad cough for about two and a half months that no one knew where it was coming from and now at least we have answers. We know what it was, we know where it came from, so I'm happy about that.

“I definitely had a bit of a dip in performance after the Olympics, maybe even a little, so I'm hoping I can get back to top shape.”