Back in February, World No. 1 Jannik Sinner accepted a three-month ban from tennis in order to settle an anti-doping violation stemming from the star's two positive doping tests almost a year ago. Sinner tested positive for banned anabolic steroid Clostebol twice in March 2024.
With Sinner missing some of the year's biggest tournaments in the meantime, a lot of eyes have been on World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz to climb back up to the No. 1 spot. While Alcaraz captured his lone title of the season so far at Rottendam at the beginning of February, he's struggled to reach a final since Sinner's been gone.
Alcaraz opened up about the pressure he's been facing during Sinner's ban and how this may have impacted how he's been playing.
"A lot of people are asking me, or are telling me, that I have the chance to become No. 1 if Jannik isn't playing," Alcaraz said, via Reuters. "So probably that pressure has killed me in some way."
Right now, Alcaraz trails Sinner by 3,610 points in the ATP rankings. Alexander Zverev sits between them at No. 2, and he also hasn't had much success during Sinner's ban. Alcaraz has kind of accepted that he probably won't be able to surpass Sinner by the time he returns in May.
"I'm just thinking that I'm not able to become No. 1 in the clay season, even if Jannik is not playing, I don't have the chance to do it," Alcaraz said. "I think I'm too far from Jannik. So I'm just here and I realise that I don't have to think about it and just go there and play. That's my mindset right now."
Alcaraz does begin his clay court season this week at Monte Carlo, where he would earn 1,000 ATP points if he captures the title. He's won eight of his 17 career titles on clay.
Realistically speaking, if Alcaraz plays in the next four ATP tournaments this month before Sinner can make his return on May 4, even if the Spaniard wins all four tournaments, he wouldn't earn enough ATP points to surpass Sinner for the No. 1 spot. He would earn 1,000 points at Monte Carlo and the Madrid Open, respectfully, then 500 points each for Barcelona and the BMW Open, according to the ITF website. That would only equal 3,000 points, whereas Alcaraz needs 3,610 points.
Alcaraz still could regain the No. 1 spot at some point this season if he can get closer to Sinner's total. This will surely be a race tennis fans will follow all season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Carlos Alcaraz Details the Pressure He’s Had on Him During Jannik Sinner’s Ban.
