Alcaraz and Sinner’s “throne” battle: Whoever advances further at the US Open will claim the seat

Since the 2024 Australian Open, Sinner and Alcaraz have together secured the last seven Grand Slam championships. These top two players in the PIF ATP rankings have been dominating the ATP Tour with overwhelming superiority, as evidenced by the outcomes.

Now, both are set to begin their US Open journeys. On Monday, Alcaraz advanced to the second round by beating Opelka 6-4, 7-5, 6-4. On Tuesday, Sinner swiftly defeated Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-1, 6-2. Other players in the locker room will closely watch these two “rising stars,” ready to challenge them at any opportunity.

This week, the ATP live rankings are updated in real-time alongside the US Open progress. After dropping 2000 points from last year’s US Open title, Sinner trails Alcaraz by just 60 points, sitting in second place. This margin is minimal. Both have successfully reached the second round, so whoever performs better at the US Open will become the world number one afterward.

Alcaraz has another chance this season to reclaim the world number one ranking.

Alcaraz stated:

“I think many players now possess very high levels of skill. Clearly, Sinner has proven his superiority. I have lost to him many times, and perhaps my matches against him have been tougher. But ultimately, the results show that we are both among the elite. In the end, those with ability will succeed, and those who work hard will achieve their goals. Some highly skilled players might be struggling now, but I believe they will return to their best form.”

“As for me personally, I work hard every day to improve. I watch many matches—including those of Sinner and others—to think about how I can do better and trouble them more. Tennis is constantly evolving; whether it’s the courts or the balls, things are changing. We players cannot remain stagnant; we must keep progressing.”

The motivation for this five-time Grand Slam champion’s “continuous improvement” also directly comes from Sinner—who has been his ultimate rival in the last two major tour events. Although Alcaraz leads their ATP head-to-head 9-5, he fully recognizes the danger posed by the world number one and understands the real possibility of facing him again in the Flushing Meadows final (the US Open venue).

Alcaraz admitted: “He has won the last three hard-court Grand Slam titles. His level of tennis on hard courts is incredible. To some extent, I see this as a benchmark to prepare myself for potential matches against him. Hopefully, we meet in the final. Performing well here is great... and beating him would be even better. Right now, he is the number one target for everyone.”

Although the “tug-of-war” between Alcaraz and Sinner remains the central topic on the tour, their relationship on and off the court is quite special—making this rivalry even more compelling.

“I think the respect we have for each other and the good relationship off the court make this rivalry unique,” Alcaraz said. “Obviously, everyone can see how we perform when we face each other: we both bring our best. But to maintain such a good relationship off the court despite fierce competition on it is rare, and I think that’s what makes it special.”

Regarding their off-court relationship, the rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz is indeed different from the era of the ‘Big Three’—Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. Perhaps because times have changed, each generation shows a different spirit. Personality also plays a role.

Alcaraz is passionate, cheerful, confident, and loves to smile, while the reserved and quiet Sinner is more subdued. In their interactions, Alcaraz is probably the more proactive one—just speculation.

However, competition remains the main theme in professional sports.

After the US Open, who will be world number one?

[Look at me][Look at me][Look at me][Give myself a flower][Give myself a flower][Give myself a flower]

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