Sinner and Alcaraz: From #NextGenATP champions to the Top 2 in the world | ATP Tour

PIF ATP Rankings Update

Sinner and Alcaraz: From #NextGenATP champions to the Top 2 in the world

June 12, 2024

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are two of the six players who have won the prestigious Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. This week, they are the No. 1 and 2 players in the world, respectively.

Sinner, 22, and Alcaraz, 21, are the first duo of players aged 22 or younger to occupy the top two spots in the PIF ATP Rankings since Roger Federer and Andy Roddick in August 2004. August 8, 2004 , Federer turned 23 years old.

Sinner is the first Italian to reach the top of the individual classification, whether male or female, since computerized classification began in 1973. He is the 29th man to reach the top of this sport.

At 19, Alcaraz became the youngest No. 1 in the history of the PIF ATP Rankings following the 2022 US Open. He was also the first teenager to achieve the feat.

This is the first week the duo has held the top two spots in any order. The stars met for the ninth time in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series in the semifinals at Roland Garros, where Alcaraz prevailed in five sets. Later, the Spaniard lifted the trophy for the first time in the clay court tournament.

Both players have embraced their rivalry and have the utmost respect for each other. Alcaraz currently leads the series 5-4.

“Everything he does, he does to perfection. The way he hits the ball is incredible. The way he moves is very, very good. He takes you to the limit on every ball, on every point,” Alcaraz said about Sinner before his Paris semi-final. “I think it’s the hardest thing to face Jannik. At the same time I love it.”

The 21-year-old said afterwards: “Probably a little more nerves before facing him. I’m not going to lie. It’s probably one of the toughest challenges we can face in tennis right now.”

Sinner noted that they usually play towards the end of major tournaments. His last five meetings have occurred in the semifinals and seven of his nine meetings have been in ATP Grand Slam or Masters 1000 tournaments.

“They are very important games. I think it is exciting for the game, especially when [el] Head to head it’s pretty even,” Sinner said before their clash at Roland Garros. “And the winner is happy and then the loser tries to find a way to beat him next time. I think that’s exciting.”

Paul Annacone, a Tennis Channel commentator who has had a front-row seat to historic rivalries when he coached the likes of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer, believes Sinner and Alcaraz will have “great battles” next year.

“Look, you can never, ever, ever replace what these fading icons have done – Roger, Rafa and maybe Novak, who knows, and Andy Murray and Stan – but tennis is in very good hands with those two. “Annacone said. “And I think there are going to be a lot of other players who are also going to knock on the door of the Majors, which will be fun.”

The future is now, led by Sinner and Alcaraz.