New Delhi, Sep 9 (IANS) Carlos Alcaraz is in a great position to claim ATP Year-End No. 1 for the second time after lifting a US Open trophy at Flushing Meadows and recapturing World No. 1 in the ATP rankings.
After his US Open triumph, the Spaniard took a commanding lead in the ATP Live Race To Turin, the season-to-date standings, which serves as a measuring stick for the year-end No. 1 battle.
Alcaraz now owns a 2,590-point advantage over his chief rival, second-placed Jannik Sinner, in the Live Race. No other player is within 6,000 points of the Spaniard, according to ATP stats.
The US Open final was a big opportunity for Sinner to close the gap on Alcaraz and set the stage for an intense year-end No. 1 clash in the final two months of the season. Had Sinner beaten Alcaraz on Sunday, there would have been a 1,400-point swing in his favour.
Instead, Alcaraz is in perfect position with two ATP Masters 1000 events (Shanghai and Paris) and the ATP Finals among the tournaments remaining in 2025. He last finished year-end No. 1 in 2022.
Only 10 players have finished as year-end No. 1 more than once, and Alcaraz can join Rafael Nadal (5) as the second Spaniard to accomplish the feat. Alcaraz and Sinner are the only singles players who have already qualified for this year’s ATP Finals.
Fifth-placed Ben Shelton and eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti are trying to qualify for the season finale for the first time. Musetti is only 80 points ahead of ninth-placed Jack Draper, who announced on Monday he will not compete for the rest of the season due to an arm injury.
The Briton, who was ninth in the ATP Live Race To Turin, will not be able to make a push for his ATP Finals debut. Instead, the 23-year-old will focus on returning to health after a year in which he won his first ATP Masters 1000 title at Indian Wells.
–IANS
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