Alcaraz surpasses Sinner in the 2025 top athlete rankings

Carlos Alcaraz had a breakthrough year in 2025, marked by his return to the top spot in world tennis, dethroning his competitor Jannik Sinner.

The 2025 season showcased one of the fiercest rivalries in tennis, centered around the battle between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The Spanish player gained the upper hand by defeating Sinner four times throughout the year, thereby finishing the season as world No. 1 for the second time in his career, cementing his dominance on the ATP Tour.

Recently, the French sports daily L'Equipe released its annual ranking "Champions des Champions". This prestigious award has previously honored greats such as Leon Marchand (swimming, 2024), Novak Djokovic (tennis, 2023), and Lionel Messi (football, 2022).

In 2025, the top spot went to Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar with 821 points. Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis ranked second with 799 points, far ahead of the rest. Alcaraz placed third with 252 points; notably, he remained ahead of Sinner, who ranked fifth with 169 points, behind PSG star Ousmane Dembele (football).

The top 10 also features Leon Marchand, Marc Marquez (MotoGP), Marco Odermatt (skiing), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (basketball), and Rory McIlroy (golf).

In the women's rankings, tennis is represented solely by world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who ranks sixth with 293 points. She trails top stars from swimming and athletics such as Summer McIntosh and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will continue their rivalry at the 2026 Australian Open — the first Grand Slam of the year held in Melbourne, Australia, in mid-January. Sinner is the reigning champion with two consecutive titles, while Alcaraz has yet to advance past the quarterfinals of this so-called "Happy Slam."