How Sinner outscored Zverev, Alcaraz, Djokovic in Race To Turin despite playing only one tournament
Jannik Sinner must have feared the worst in terms of his position in the ATP Rankings and the Race To Turin when he was hit with a three-month ban at the beginning of February.
But six weeks into his suspension and he still has a massive lead at the top of the official rankings while he still sits at No 1 in the Race as his challengers have failed to make the most of his absence.
Sinner has played only one tournament this year as he successfully defended his Australian Open crown and his title run earned him 2,000 ranking points.
His lead in the official rankings after the season-opening Grand Slam stood at 3,695 points after he beat Alexander Zverev in the final.
Having picked up 2,000 points in the Race To Turin (points accumulated during the season), the three-time Grand Slam winner was also sitting pretty with Zverev in second place with Ben Shelton and Novak Djokovic following.
ATP Race To Turin After Australian Open
1. Jannik Sinner – 2,000
2. Alexander Zverev – 1,355
3. Novak Djokovic – 850
4. Ben Shelton – 800
5. Tommy Paul – 500
6. Gael Monfils – 475
7. Alex de Minaur – 455
8. Lorenzo Sonego – 450
9. Jiri Lehecka – 450
10. Carlos Alcaraz – 400
Sinner’s three-month ban was then confirmed with the suspension running from 9 February until 4 May and it gave his closest challengers an opportunity to close the gap in both rankings.
Having been forced to withdraw from the Qatar Open, Indian Wells Open and Miami Open, Sinner has been unable to add to his 2,000 points.
Zverev, meanwhile, has played in the United Cup (55 points), Australian Open (1,300), Argentina Open (50), Rio Open (100), Mexican Open (50), Indian Wells Open (10) and Miami Open (100) to put him on 1,665 points in the Race To Turin.
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Alcaraz fared even worse as he picked up 400 points in Australia, 500 in Rotterdam, 100 in Doha, 400 in Indian Wells and 10 in Miami for a total of 1,410.
Djokovic has suffered the same fate, but he remains alive at the Miami Open. The 24-time Grand Slam currently sits on 1,060 points after playing in Brisbane (500), Australia (800), Doha (0), Indian Wells (10) and Miami (200 so far).
ATP Race To Turin Ahead Of Miami Quarter-Finals
1. Jannik Sinner – 2,000
2. Alexander Zverev – 1,665
3. Jack Draper – 1,540
4. Carlos Alcaraz – 1,410
5. Felix Auger-Aliassime – 1,195
6. Ben Shelton – 1,110
7. Alex de Minaur – 1,085
8. Novak Djokovic – 1,060
9. Holger Rune – 960
10. Tommy Paul – 900
Djokovic will move up to fifth with 1,260 points if he beats Sebastian Korda in the quarter-final in Miami while a title run will see him leapfrog Zverev, Draper and Alcaraz into second place with 1,860 points.
Draper surged up the standings on the back of his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at the Indian Wells Open, but he then lost early in Miami.
But Sinner remains the big winner after the Australian, Middle East, South American and North American hard-court swings.
With Zverev losing in the fourth round in Miami, he is virtually assured of still being No 1 in the official rankings when he returns to action at the Italian Open in early May.
