Tennis News

Will Alcaraz catch Sinner for weeks as World No. 1?

The battle for No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings has become a two-man chess match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in recent years, and right now every move could have major implications.

Now having spent 59 total weeks at No. 1, Alcaraz broke his tie with Jim Courier for 13th on the all-time list and is edging closer to Sinner with 66. What was last year Sinner’s era at the summit has quickly evolved into a back-and-forth tussle that feels emblematic of the sport’s present and future.

Total Weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings

Just a year ago, Sinner was in the midst of an imperious debut stint at No. 1, becoming the fifth player to spend more than a year at the top in their maiden reign. But Alcaraz has responded in emphatic fashion.

The 22-year-old Spaniard reclaimed top spot with his US Open triumph over Sinner in September and cemented it with his Australian Open title in January, becoming the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam. Alcaraz now holds a 2,850-point lead over Sinner atop the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

Both Alcaraz and Sinner headline the ATP 500 field this week at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, where Sinner is aiming to make ground in the battle for No. 1 on his Doha debut. The 24-year-old Italian has no points to defend until the clay-court swing in Rome and it’s a stretch that gives him the freedom to attack without immediate pressure.

Importantly, the immediate period does not present an overwhelming points burden for the Alcaraz. He defends a quarter-final in Doha, a semi-final at Indian Wells and a second-round result in Miami before the calendar shifts to clay, where his bigger hauls begin with the Monte-Carlo title and a runner-up finish in Barcelona.

Beyond the numbers, the rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner has come to define the ATP Tour’s narrative, with the Spaniard leading their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 10-6. The two could reignite their rivalry for the first time since the Nitto ATP Finals in November if they both reach the championship match in Doha this week.

For now, the gap in the battle for No. 1 is Alcaraz’s to protect and Sinner’s to chase. Twelve months ago the picture looked very different. Today, with no one standing between them on the all-time list and both competing deep into the season’s biggest events, the race for No. 1 feels less like a changing of the guard and more like a rivalry destined to define an era.

If Alcaraz maintains his grip atop the PIF ATP Rankings, he could overtake Sinner for weeks at No. 1 as the Tour enters the clay season at the beginning of April, following the Sunshine Double in Indian Wells and Miami.

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Fonseca physically ‘100 per cent’ ahead of hometown title tilt in Rio

Following a stop-start opening to 2026, can Joao Fonseca turbocharge his season in his hometown at the Rio Open presented by Claro?

The No. 38 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will this week line up as the third seed at the clay ATP 500. It will be just the third tournament of the season for the 19-year-old, who did not compete until the Australian Open due to injury but now believes he is primed and ready to make more headlines as one of the leading lights of Brazilian tennis.

“I’m feeling good. Already 100 per cent physically,” Fonseca told ATP Media in Rio ahead of his first-round match against his countryman Thiago Monteiro. “I’ve been struggling in the beginning of the year with my lower back, but now I’m 100 per cent and feeling great back on court. Physically I’m good.”

After opening his 2026 season with a first-round loss to Eliot Spizzirri at the Australian Open, Fonseca immediately headed to South America to prepare for the ‘Golden Swing’. Although he also fell to an opening defeat when defending his title at last week’s IEB+ Argentina Open in Buenos Aires, where he was edged in three sets by former Top 20 star Alejandro Tabilo, Fonseca feels it was another important step on his tennis journey.

“It was a pretty tight match in Buenos Aires, against a very good player,” said the 19-year-old. “I think the opportunity to play a week where you are the defending champion was great. I’m thinking about positive things right 1771301862. It was my first time, and of course a little bit more pressure, but I think I handled it pretty well. I think my opponent played pretty good. Things to work on of course, but I’m feeling confident for this week.”

Fonseca enters Rio this year with a 13-11 tour-level record on clay, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, having competed in tournaments across both Europe and South America. He was quick to identify a couple of aspects of the ‘Golden Swing’ events that set them apart from their European equivalents.

“I think the most different thing is the weather [in Europe],” explained Fonseca. “It’s hotter and more humid [here], and I think the fans are such a big thing. They pull out a lot of the culture of Argentina and Brazil, perhaps because of football, it’s huge.

“They cheer a lot. Sometimes it’s too much! But I think it’s a great environment and that’s the biggest thing [about South America]. The courts are pretty similar. Buenos Aires is more similar to [the European] ones, and here the ball goes a little bit slower, but it’s also good.”

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Alcaraz isn’t alone: Sinner matches rival's serve focus ahead of Doha…

Much has been made about the work Carlos Alcaraz has done on his serve. But the Spaniard is not the only one focusing on the vital stroke. Jannik Sinner revealed on Sunday ahead of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open that he is emphasising his serve ahead of his first ATP 500 event of the season.

“Honestly at the moment [we are working] on the usual stuff. Trying to get a very solid serve at the moment, which is what we work a lot on,” Sinner told ATP Media in Doha. “Also a lot in the gym, the gym sessions are very important. I try to make an extra step forward in that scenario and that’s it.”

Sinner is the second seed this week in Doha, where he leads the field alongside the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Alcaraz. The Italian is competing for the first time since he suffered a semi-final defeat to Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open last month, when he made 75 per cent of his first deliveries and won 80 per cent of those points, according to Infosys Stats.

While the loss was a disappointment, the Italian was keen to stress that the work undertaken in the fortnight since has been building on the foundations laid during the team’s pre-season training block in Dubai.

“The season has started. A lot of the work we have done was in the offseason,” Sinner said. “Now of course we try to keep working, but also to maintain the level of fitness, too. I think everything is going quite well. Of course you need to play some matches, trying to have the best feedback.”

That feedback loop, practice intensity translating into match performance, will guide his week in Doha as much as results.

“From my point of view, it also depends how the practice sessions go. If you feel very well there, you want to produce the same intensity also in the match,” Sinner said. “If certain things don’t work well in the practice session, you try to be slightly better than in the practice session. So it depends, but at the same time I’m here trying to go as far as possible. At the same time, trying to improve and then see what’s working well here.”

Sinner is making his debut at the ATP 500 event in Doha, where he will open against Czech Tomas Machac. The World No. 2, who leads Machac 2-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series, is excited for the week, having enjoyed success in the city in the past.

“Some years ago I won a junior tournament, so it’s a very familiar place,” Sinner said. “Obviously a different level now playing the 500 event here. But I’m very excited and let’s see what’s coming.”

Sinner trails World No. 1 Alcaraz by 2,750 points in the PIF ATP Live Rankings. However, the Italian has no points to defend between now and Rome in May.

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De Minaur jumps after Rotterdam triumph, Mover of Week

Alex de Minaur, Ben Shelton and Francisco Cerundolo all triumphed in a three-tournament week on the ATP Tour. ATPTour.com looks at the movers of the week as of Monday 16 February, following events in Rotterdam, Dallas and Buenos Aires.

No. 6 Alex de Minaur, +2 (Joint Career High)
The Australian has risen two spots to No. 6 in the PIF ATP Rankings following his title success at the ABN AMRO Open in Rotterdam. The 26-year-old had lost his past two finals at the ATP 500 event but ensured it was third time lucky on Sunday, when he defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the title match.

No. 43 Marin Cilic, +18
The Croatian enjoyed a semi-final showing at the Nexo Dallas Open and has climbed 18 places to return to the Top 50 for the first time since May 2023. Cilic did not drop a set en route to the last four at the ATP 500 in Texas.

No. 59 Raphael Collignon, +10 (Career High)
Collignon has jumped 10 spots to a career high in the PIF ATP Rankings following title success at the ATP Challenger event in Pau, France. The Belgian was perfect throughout his five matches, not losing one set to win his fifth title at that level.

No. 95 Christopher O’Connell, +24
The 31-year-old has returned to the Top 100 after a quarter-final run in Rotterdam. The Australian came through qualifying and then beat Valentin Royer and Cameron Norrie.

No. 98 Stan Wawrinka, +8
Wawrinka is back in the Top 100 for the first time since July 2024. At 40, with his 41st birthday approaching in March, Wawrinka stands as the oldest man in the Top 100 by more than two years. For perspective, Novak Djokovic, 38, sits at No. 3, while Adrian Mannarino, Marin Cilic and Roberto Bautista Agut, all 37, also remain inside the elite bracket. The last 40-year-old to feature in the Top 100 was Roger Federer, who held No. 97 in June 2022.

Other Notable Top 100 Movers
No. 35 Denis Shapovalov, +5
No. 55 Botic van de Zandschulp, +10
No. 72 Quentin Halys, +5
No. 76 Emilio Nava, +5 (Career High)
No. 77 Jan-Lennard Struff, +5
No. 79 Alexander Shevchenko, +5
No. 87 Vit Kopriva, +8
[NEWSLETTER FORM]

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Tennis 'racist, misogynistic, homophobic', says Aiava

Australian player Destanee Aiava says tennis has a “racist, misogynistic, homophobic and hostile” culture as she announces her retirement from the sport at 25.

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Harris, former No. 31, celebrates 'stepping stone in new career'

After returning to the Tour in 2025 following a severe back injury, Lloyd Harris has begun this season with two ATP Challenger title runs.

The 28-year-old returned to the winner’s circle Sunday at the Tenerife Challenger 2, where he beat Alejandro Moro Canas 7-5, 7-5 in the final. Harris, who won the Soma Bay Challenger in January, has now claimed eight titles at that level.

“A trophy means a lot, especially on the Challenger Tour. It helps me a lot to start getting into bigger tournaments again, hopefully soon,” Harris said. “A trophy is a special feeling, winning a final gives you a lot of confidence. Overall, just a big deal for me to win a trophy this week.”

Harris reached a career-high No. 31 in 2021 shortly after reaching his first major quarter-final at the US Open. In 2024, Harris suffered a disc herniation at the L4/L5 spinal segment (lower back), eventually requiring discectomy surgery.

“After every surgery, especially what I had, is very tough. It’s a new career for me, it’s a new pathway,” said Harris, now No. 155 in the PIF ATP Rankings. “I’m increasing the load, I’m increasing the level from where I was, which was essentially coming back from nothing. It’s a stepping stone.”

Zhang dominant en route to Brisbane title
Zhang Zhizhen, whose career high is also No. 31 (reached in 2024), claimed a Challenger title of his own, triumphing at the Brisbane Tennis International #2. The 29-year-old did not drop a set all week. Zhang downed home hope Alex Bolt 6-2, 6-4 in the final.

^{Zhang Zhizhen wins the Brisbane Challenger. Credit: Tennis Australia}

Zhang competed in just 17 matches across all levels in 2025, having missed six months due to a shoulder injury.

Collignon defends Pau crown
Raphael Collignon successfully defended his title at the Terega Open Pau Pyrénées, an indoor Challenger 125 event in France. The top-seeded Belgian defeated Benjamin Bonzi 7-6(5) 6-1 in the final and is now at a career-high No. 59 in the PIF ATP Rankings.

<img alt=”Raphael Collignon wins the Pau Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/16/02/46/collignon-pauch-2026.jpg” />
^{Raphael Collignon lifts his fifth ATP Challenger trophy. Credit: Alexis Atteret}

Dostanic goes from qualies to titlist
American Stefan Dostanic captured his first Challenger crown at the Baton Rouge Challenger, where as a qualifier he won seven matches in eight days to lift the trophy. A former standout for Wake Forest University, the 24-year-old Dostanic downed Alexis Galarneau 6-4, 6-1 in the championship match.

<img alt=”Stefan Dostanic in action at the Baton Rouge Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/16/02/44/dostanic-batonrougech-2026.jpg” />
^{Stefan Dostanic in action at the Baton Rouge Challenger. Credit: Nick Adams/LSU Athletics}

Ferreira Silva wins near three-hour final to triumph in Chennai
Portugal’s Frederico Ferreira Silva won his maiden Challenger title in his fifth final at that level. The 30-year-old claimed the Coromandel Open, where he escaped Argentine
Federico Agustin Gomez 6-4, 6-7(10), 6-4 in a marathon two-hour, 58-minute final.

<img alt=”Frederico Ferreira Silva in action at the Chennai Challenger.” style=”width:100%;” src=”/-/media/images/news/2026/02/16/02/43/ferreira-silva-chennaich-2026.jpg” />
^{Frederico Ferreira Silva during the Chennai final. Credit: Coromandel Open}

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Alcaraz, Sinner, Fritz among stars in action in Doha, Rio & Delray Beach

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner headline a busy week on the ATP Tour, with three tournaments unfolding across Doha, Rio de Janeiro and Delray Beach, respectively.

The top two players in the PIF ATP Rankings spearhead a strong field at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, a hard-court ATP 500 event. Meanwhile, Buenos Aires champion Francisco Cerundolo leads the draw at the clay-court Rio Open presented by Claro, and two-time Delray Beach Open champion Taylor Fritz is the top seed at the ATP 250 event in Florida.

ATPTour.com looks at five key storylines at each stop.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN DOHA:
1) Alcaraz the man to beat: Alcaraz returns to competition for the first time since capturing his maiden Australian Open crown, a triumph with which the 22-year-old became the youngest man to complete the Career Grand Slam. Last year in Doha, Alcaraz fell to Jiri Lehecka in the quarter-finals on debut. This year, he begins against Arthur Rinderknech.

2) Sinner’s debut: Second seed Sinner is set for his Doha debut. The Italian will be eager to rebound from his painful five-set semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic in Melbourne and arrives chasing his 25th tour-level title — and first since lifting the Nitto ATP Finals trophy on home soil in November.

3) Former champions in draw: The draw features three past winners: defending champion Andrey Rublev, who also claimed the title in 2020 when the event was an ATP 250; 2023 titlist Daniil Medvedev; and 2024 champion Karen Khachanov.

4) Fils continues comeback: Arthur Fils, the former World No. 14, continues his comeback after an eight-month layoff due to a back injury. Competing in just his third tournament since returning, the unseeded Frenchman plays Kamil Majchrzak in the first round.

5) Cash/Glasspool eye response: Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool aim to regroup after their surprise second-round defeat at the Australian Open to James McCabe and Li Tu. The top seeds open against singles standouts Ugo Humbert and Arthur Rinderknech.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN RIO DE JANEIRO:
1) In-form Cerundolo: Fresh from winning his maiden title on home soil in Buenos Aires, where he did not drop a set, Cerundolo enters the ATP 500 event in Rio brimming with confidence. The Argentine reached the semi-finals in 2022 and 2024, but the top seed will hope to go deeper during this campaign. He opens against countryman Mariano Navone. 

What it means 🥹

The moment @FranCerundolo clinched the 2026 Buenos Aires title 🏆 pic.twitter.com/1CuuKGy04M

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 15, 2026

2) Baez eyes three-peat: Sebastian Baez made history last year by becoming the first man to successfully defend the Rio crown. Now, the two-time reigning champion is pursuing his eighth ATP Tour title. After a semi-final showing in Buenos Aires — where he fell to Luciano Darderi — a potential rematch could loom in Brazil at the same stage.

3) Fonseca seeks first win of 2026: Joao Fonseca has endured a stop-start beginning to 2026, withdrawing from Brisbane and Adelaide before a first-round exit at the Australian Open and opening-match defeat in Buenos Aires, where he was defending champion. The 19-year-old Brazilian will draw confidence from his breakthrough moment in Rio in 2024, when he earned his first tour-level win against Fils.

4) Can Darderi push on? Darderi has enjoyed a strong start to the season by reaching the quarter-finals in Auckland, the fourth round at the Australian Open and the final in Buenos Aires. Set to rise to a career-high World No. 21 on Monday, the Italian will chase his fifth ATP Tour title in Rio, where he is the second seed.

5) Fonseca/Melo feature in doubles: Fonseca teams with veteran Marcelo Melo in doubles, giving the home crowd plenty to cheer. Melo lifted the trophy last year alongside Rafael Matos. French duo Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul are the top seeds.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH IN DELRAY BEACH:
1) Fritz targets third title: Taylor Fritz arrives in Florida riding high after a positive run to the Dallas final. The top seed is aiming for a third Delray Beach trophy, having won back-to-back editions in 2023 and 2024. He holds a 12-6 event record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.

2) Ruud’s return: Second seed Casper Ruud competes for the first time since he and his wife, Maria, welcomed their first child. The Norwegian reached the fourth round at the Australian Open and now looks to rediscover that level in his Delray debut.

3) #NextGenATP Jodar: The 19-year-old Rafael Jodar recently turned professional after one season at the University of Virginia. The Spaniard impressed at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah and entered Delray Beach through the Next Gen Accelerator, designed to expand opportunities for rising stars aged 20 and under.

4) Strong American presence: Thirteen Americans feature in the main draw. Among the leading seeds are former champion Frances Tiafoe, 2024 finalist Tommy Paul and past Next Gen ATP Finals winners Learner Tien and Brandon Nakashima.

5) Johnson/Zielinski top seeds: Luke Johnson and Jan Zielinski return for the first time since their run to the Australian Open semi-finals. The pair sit fifth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings and headline the doubles competition.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated to reflect the withdrawal of Alexander Bublik from the Qatar ExxonMobil Open.

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Shelton saves 3 championship points for gripping Dallas final win vs. Fritz

Ben Shelton brought the thunder when it mattered most on Sunday at the Nexo Dallas Open, where he saved three championship points to defeat Taylor Fritz and capture his first title of the season.

The 23-year-old roared back to earn an explosive 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory for his second ATP 500 trophy, saving all three championship points in a nervy 10th game of the decider. After that pivotal hold, Shelton dropped just three more points en route to winning his fourth ATP Tour title, and first indoors.

Big Ben strikes in Dallas 🤠@BenShelton claims the title on home soil after saving three match points to defeat compatriot Fritz 3-6, 6-3, 7-5! @NexoDallasOpen | #DALOpen pic.twitter.com/rVSowg1Zj7

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 15, 2026

In a high-octane matchup between the top two seeds that ebbed and flowed right until the last ball, Shelton showed supreme composure under pressure. He let slip a break lead in the final set and then looked down and out, but showed some gutsy tennis at the dying embers to dish Fritz a painful defeat.

With the one-hour, 51-minute victory, Shelton improved to 2-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with Fritz.

More to follow…

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De Minaur downs Auger-Aliassime for Rotterdam title: 'Third time lucky!'

Persistence eventually paid off for Alex de Minaur at the ABN AMRO Open on Sunday.

The top-seeded Australian fittingly produced his sharpest performance of the week to defeat Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-2 and secure his maiden indoor title at the ATP 500 event. De Minaur fell in the past two Rotterdam finals, but he was crisp and clinical in all departments against Auger-Aliassime, who required an off-court medical timeout midway through the second set.

Going home with some new hardware 🏆@abnamroopen | #abnamroopen | @alexdeminaur pic.twitter.com/9wyZxSPPuD

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 15, 2026

“That’s what it’s all about: just doing my best to rise to the occasion,” De Minaur said of his final performance, in which he did not face a break point, according to Infosys ATP Stats. “As the tournament goes on, you try and find ways out of solutions and try to give yourself the best chance to play better the following day, and I did exactly that. I’m super pleased with the performance today.

“Third time lucky… I’m super stoked, super happy. It ended up being a great week here in Rotterdam. It’s a place where I always feel really good. I was just a step short in the previous years, so it feels great to finally be able to lift the title.”

Auger-Aliassime was on an eight-match winning streak having lifted the title in Montpellier last week. The Canadian was targeting a ninth career indoor title to further strengthening his reputation as one of the most dangerous players under a roof. De Minaur, however, has been a consistent force at ATP 500 level in recent years, and his title charge in the Rotterdam final proved too much for the Canadian.

“Congrats to Alex and your team,” Auger-Aliassime said during the trophy presentation. “We’ve played a lot of matches throughout the years… I tried my best today, but you were just a little bit too good. [It’s your] third time in the final here, so congrats on the win.”

ATP 500 Win Leaders (since the start of 2023)

After a cagey start between the tournament’s top two seeds, the final ignited in the sixth game of the opening set when De Minaur struck two inspired winners to earn the decisive break — the first time Auger-Aliassime’s serve had been breached since his second-round win over Stan Wawrinka in Montpellier.

De Minaur carried his momentum into the second set and broke again in the fifth game, stepping inside the baseline and dictating rallies with increased aggression. Shortly after, Auger-Aliassime left the court for medical treatment and returned looking short of his usual explosiveness. De Minaur sensed his opportunity and remained ruthless, closing out the match to reduce his Lexus ATP Head2Head deficit against the Canadian to 2-3.

With his 78-minute win, De Minaur also jumped two spots to No. 6 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

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Alcaraz taking nothing for granted on return to action: ‘I see myself with weaknesses’

Given Carlos Alcaraz is the No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings and has just completed the Career Grand Slam with his Australian Open win, he could be forgiven for sitting back and admiring his work so far in 2026.

The Spaniard, of course, has other ideas. Alcaraz is infused with the relentless desire to improve that has always characterised the greatest players in tennis history, and that is what will be at the forefront of his mind next week when he returns to action as the top seed at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha.

“Obviously I can see myself that [I have had] a lot of success so far, winning the biggest tournaments in the world,” said Alcaraz on Sunday at his pre-tournament press conference in Qatar. “But I just see myself with weaknesses. A lot of players, I know that they’re trying to catch me up in terms of they are studying my game, they study how I play, trying to beat me, trying to challenge me.

“I have to be ready for that, and I have to see where my level is, where my tennis is. I have to try to put myself in their minds and think what they could do when playing against me. So that’s what I mean about saying I have to improve some things. Obviously, you cannot be lagging in the level, you just have to keep it going.”

One obvious example of the rivals Alcaraz was referring to is Jannik Sinner. The Italian lines up as the second seed in the Doha field, presenting the possibility of a 17th chapter of the pair’s electric Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry in the championship match. Yet the 22-year-old Alcaraz has no intention of getting ahead of himself as he looks to better the quarter-final run he forged on Doha debut a year ago.

“I know how difficult every match is. Every match is different, our play is totally different,” said the Spaniard, who takes on Top 30 star Arthur Rinderknech in his opener. “I think this draw is a really tough one for a 500 tournament. We can see the first matches how good matches that we have in the first round.

“So [I’m] just thinking about a match at a time, and let’s see how far I can go. Obviously my mind is trying to go as far as I can. If it’s possible to play a final, obviously that would be great, and that’s what I’m looking for, so let’s see. I’m not thinking about playing or just putting myself in the final too early. I want to think day by day.”

Alcaraz headed to Doha with a 7-0 record for the season, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, following his Melbourne title run. He first enjoyed a stopoff in Bahrain, where he visited his fellow Spanish sporting superstars Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz at F1 pre-season testing, but his focus has now fully shifted to trying to take his game to even greater heights in the Qatari capital.

“Coming here, these days, my team and I, just we set up some goals for this tournament,” revealed the 25-time tour-level champion. “We are not talking about results at all. It’s just more about the process to be better, still in the process to grow up. There are some things that I really want to be better and [I want to] develop my game in a way that I really want to show up and to pull off here in this tournament.

“That would be a really successful week for me, besides results. I [want to] see myself that I’m just doing the right things on and off the court.”

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