Despite both being sidelined from multiple huge tournaments for various reasons over the past 12 months, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are dominating the ATP rankings right now. Dating back to last fall it has been a two-man, back-and-forth battle for the top spot.
Alcaraz ascended to No. 1 for the first time when he triumphed at the 2022 U.S. Open. The 19-year-old maintained it and finished the year on top despite missing the Nitto ATP Finals–which Djokovic won.
Djokovic got the No. 1 ranking back by winning the Australian Open, which Alcaraz missed because of a knee injury. During the Sunshine Double, however, roles were reversed and it was the 35-year-old on the sidelines while Alcaraz was good to go. The Spaniard lifted the Indian Wells trophy to overtake Djokovic in the No. 1 spot. Still, Alcaraz had to defend his 2022 Miami title two weeks later in order to stay No. 1 and he didn’t do it–losing to Jannik Sinner in the semifinals.
Thus it is Djokovic who is back on top heading into the clay-court season.
With Alcaraz not playing Monte-Carlo, Djokovic is guaranteed to remain No. 1 at least until the Rome Masters. The Serb lost right away in Monte-Carlo last year, got upset in the Belgrade semifinals, and fell to Alcaraz in the Madrid semis. That’s only 520 points in those three tournaments. Meanwhile, Alcaraz has 500 points to defend in Barcelona and 1,000 in Madrid due to winning those events last spring.
Djokovic prevailed at the Rome Masters in 2022, so only after that tournament does Alcaraz have a mathematical chance of returning to No. 1.
FO draw will be interesting
Or horrific! It was bad enough last year with Rafa, Novak, Zverev and Alcaraz all on the same side. Plus Rafa had to play FAA in the fourth round.
It was bad enough when he got Novak in the qfs. This year if he can’t improve his rankings it could be the fourth round.
A lot of people said last year RG should use the old wimby formula to weight ranking by results there. I increasingly agree. Would lift Rafa’s ranking a long way.
Much better for th e tournament.