Can Carlos Alcaraz catch Jannik Sinner’s consecutive weeks as world number one? | ATP Tour

PIF ATP real-time ranking prediction

Can Alcaraz match Sinner’s consecutive weeks as world No. 1?

Alcaraz leads Sinner by 2,850 points in PIF ATP rankings

February 16, 2026

In recent years, the battle for the top spot in the PIF ATP rankings has become a two-man chess match between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, with every move now potentially having major consequences.

Alcaraz has now spent 59 weeks at No. 1 overall, breaking a tie with Jim Courier for 13th on the all-time list and edging Sinner with 66 weeks. Sinner’s prime last year quickly devolved into a back-and-forth feud that felt emblematic of the present and future of the sport.

Total number of weeks PIF ATP ranked No. 1

Just a year ago, Sinner was debuting at No. 1 in the world, becoming just the fifth player to do so for more than a year. But Alcaraz responded forcefully.

The 22-year-old Spaniard regained top spot with victory over Sinner at the US Open in September and cemented that position with the Australian Open title in January, becoming the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam. Alcaraz currently leads Sinner by 2,850 points in the PIF ATP live rankings.

Alkaraz and Sinner are both leading the ATP 500 field at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open this week, with Sinner aiming to compete for first place in his Doha debut. The 24-year-old Italian had no defensive points ahead of the clay-court match in Rome, a period that allowed him to attack freely without immediate pressure.

Importantly, Alcaraz has not been placed under an overwhelming points burden recently. He defended his title in the quarterfinals in Doha, the semifinals in Indian Wells, and the second round in Miami before switching to clay, where his greater success began with a Monte Carlo title and a runner-up finish in Barcelona.

Beyond the numbers, the rivalry between Alcaraz and Sinner has defined the ATP Tour narrative, with the Spaniard leading their Lexus ATP head-to-head series 10-6. The pair could rekindle their rivalry for the first time since the Nitto ATP Finals in November if both play in this week’s championship in Doha.

Currently, in the battle for first place, Alcaraz needs to be protected, while Sinner needs to catch up. Twelve months ago, things looked very different. Now, with no one standing between them on the all-time list and both slugging it out in the biggest event of the season, the battle for first place feels less like a changing of the guard and more like a rivalry destined to define an era.

If Alcaraz retains his position at the top of the PIF ATP Rankings, he could overtake Sinner and stay at No. 1 for several consecutive weeks as the tour enters the clay-court season in early April, following the sunshine doubles in Indian Wells and Miami.