The Rankings Thread (ATP)

[the AntiPusher]

I just rewatched the incident it was an accident, though his ball hit a fan in the eye who had to leave the arena, due to the rules it is immediate disqualification, accident or not, especially when a ball hits a spectator.
Meddy has been playing well, just won a title before China Open, a hard lesson learnt

hi MM, attach the link to the incident if you have an opportunity. thanks

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

hi MM, attach the link to the incident if you have an opportunity. thanks

AP,
AF has provided a link to the incident go the the ATP500 Beijing post and you can view it there I saw it on social media, and my computer cannot repost the link

 

[the AntiPusher]

AP,
AF has provided a link to the incident go the the ATP500 Beijing post and you can view it there I saw it on social media, and my computer cannot repost the link

 

[El Dude]

With SInner out for the year, Zverev has all but clinched the YE #1. Right now:

8760 Zverev
7950 Sinner
4560 Alcaraz
4440 Shelton

Alcaraz has to win Shanghai, one of the two European 500s, Paris, and the Tour Finals (+4300-4500) just to finish ahead of Zverev's current point totals. Sascha just needs to win a few matches here and there, or just reaching the SF at Shanghai.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Jannik Sinner closed down his 2026 stellar season ( due to a knee injury)
Jannik had a 44-3 match record 93.6% winning percentage, six tournament titles and an undefeated run across all 5 ATP Masters 1000 events he contested
Sinner youngest player 24, to win Career Golden Masters ( joining Djokovic)
Sinner was the first man win to win the Sunshine Double without dropping a set
Consecutive Masters Dominance, 6 consecutive Masters 1000 titles and 5 in a single calendar year building a 34 match win streak.
Wimbledon title defense.
Youngest Hard Court Milestone at age 24, ( 211 days old) became the youngest player in the Open Era to win all hard court Big Titles ( GS, Masters 1000, and ATP Finals)
By far the best player in 2026 before he had to shut down his season, hopefully he can stay healthy for 2027

 

[the AntiPusher]

With SInner out for the year, Zverev has all but clinched the YE #1. Right now:

8760 Zverev
7950 Sinner
4560 Alcaraz
4440 Shelton

Alcaraz has to win Shanghai, one of the two European 500s, Paris, and the Tour Finals (+4300-4500) just to finish ahead of Zverev's current point totals. Sascha just needs to win a few matches here and there, or just reaching the SF at Shanghai.

@MargaretMcAleer Should this be an * by the year end #1 ranked ATP player for 2026?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

@MargaretMcAleer Should this be an * by the year end #1 ranked ATP player for 2026?

Quite frankly I am not surprised he has ending his season, oh well sh t happens hopefully Jannik can stay healthy for 2027
I dont believe in Asteriks btw, in sports, its not how you begin your season, it is how you end your season that counts, shame Jannik could not end his stellar 2026 season

 

[El Dude]

@MargaretMcAleer Should this be an * by the year end #1 ranked ATP player for 2026?

Well, I wouldn't say asterisked, but I'm not sure anyone has ever had as much help from the Tennis Gods as Sascha, to earn YE #1 - at least since the wonky rankings of the early 80s and 70s. Sascha was really good this year, at least at Slams, but he is earning the #1 ranking without having to get through the top two players. I mean, he was 0-5 vs Jannik and 0-1 vs Alcaraz. I'm not sure that's ever happened. Furthermore, he's 0-6 vs. Top 5 opponents, 2-8 vs Top 10, and 8-11 vs. Top 20.

There are worse #1 seasons in terms of performance (e.g. late 90s to early 2000s), but I don't think there's a worse one in terms of how good the player was relative to the very best players on tour.

In 1982, McEnroe won #1 but had the third best season, imo, behind both Connors and Lendl. In 2022, Alcaraz was #1, but he wasn't as good as Novak or Rafa and was helped by Novak losing Wimbledon points and Rafa's injury. Connors wouldn't have won some of those YE1s in today's ranking system: Probably not 1975 (Ashe or Borg), definitely not 1977 (Vilas) or 1978 (Borg). But he (or Lendl) probably would have been #1 in 1982, so he lost one there. But Connors was only the clear best player on tour in 1974 and 1976. Vilas had a better year in 1977 and Borg was better by 1978.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Quite frankly I am not surprised he has ending his season, oh well sh t happens hopefully Jannik can stay healthy for 2027
I dont believe in Asteriks btw, in sports, its not how you begin your season, it is how you end your season that counts, shame Jannik could not end his stellar 2026 season

Okay.. are you saying Keli's favorite Zed is the indisputable best tennis player on the planet in 2026 and he has earned his Tennis HOF based on the merits of the past ten months?

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Okay.. are you saying Keli's favorite Zed is the indisputable best tennis player on the planet in 2026 and he has earned his Tennis HOF based on the merits of the past ten months?

Okay when did Keli get on board with Zed? she must be on some type of medication that I am not aware of

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

New ATP Top Ten ( Wednesday 7th October)
1. Sinner 11,000 ( season ending due to knee injury)
2. Zverev 9,720
3. Alcaraz 5,560
4. Shelton 4,680
5. FAA 3,890
6. Meddy 3,860
7. Cobolli 3,680
8. Djokovic 3,480 (+3)
9. de Minaur 3,430 (+1)
10.Tiafoe 3,380 (-2)

Updated ATP Race To Turin ( Wednesday 7th October)

1. Zverev 8,760
Sinner season ending due to knee injury 7,950
2. Alcaraz 4,560
3. Shelton 4,440
4. Cobolli 3,540
5. Tiafoe 3,380
6. Fils 3,285
7. Meddy 3,030
8. Novak 2,840

9.de Minaur 2,680
10. Jodar 2,519
11 Fritz 2,490
12.Mensik 2,405

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Well, I wouldn't say asterisked, but I'm not sure anyone has ever had as much help from the Tennis Gods as Sascha, to earn YE #1 - at least since the wonky rankings of the early 80s and 70s. Sascha was really good this year, at least at Slams, but he is earning the #1 ranking without having to get through the top two players. I mean, he was 0-5 vs Jannik and 0-1 vs Alcaraz. I'm not sure that's ever happened. Furthermore, he's 0-6 vs. Top 5 opponents, 2-8 vs Top 10, and 8-11 vs. Top 20.

There are worse #1 seasons in terms of performance (e.g. late 90s to early 2000s), but I don't think there's a worse one in terms of how good the player was relative to the very best players on tour.

In 1982, McEnroe won #1 but had the third best season, imo, behind both Connors and Lendl. In 2022, Alcaraz was #1, but he wasn't as good as Novak or Rafa and was helped by Novak losing Wimbledon points and Rafa's injury. Connors wouldn't have won some of those YE1s in today's ranking system: Probably not 1975 (Ashe or Borg), definitely not 1977 (Vilas) or 1978 (Borg). But he (or Lendl) probably would have been #1 in 1982, so he lost one there. But Connors was only the clear best player on tour in 1974 and 1976. Vilas had a better year in 1977 and Borg was better by 1978.

El Dude,
Sinner did dominate when he played
Sinner ending his season with a 93.6% ( 44-3) 5th highest in the Open Era behind #McEnroe 84, #Connors 74 and Federer 05 and 06
He is the only 5th player in the Open Era with a 3 straight season < 90% after #Borg 1977-80. Connors 74-76, Lendl 85-87 and Federer 04-06

 

[El Dude]

El Dude,
Sinner did dominate when he played
Sinner ending his season with a 93.6% ( 44-3) 5th highest in the Open Era behind #McEnroe 84, #Connors 74 and Federer 05 and 06
He is the only 5th player in the Open Era with a 3 straight season < 90% after #Borg 1977-80. Connors 74-76, Lendl 85-87 and Federer 04-06

Yeah, I know. He was clearly the best player this year, and has been the overall best player since 2024. I continue to be worried about his fragility. I mentioned this as a concern a couple years ago. Hopefully he's healthy for next year, but I have my doubts.

 

[PhiEaglesfan712]

In 2022, Alcaraz was #1, but he wasn't as good as Novak or Rafa and was helped by Novak losing Wimbledon points and Rafa's injury.

That one hurts. Rafa should have never played that Wimbledon. He hadn't won there since 2010 and no points were being awarded. He should have rested up for the US Open. Post-2010 Rafa has a better chance of winning a US Open with Novak not being there, than a Wimbledon with Novak. No guarantee that Rafa wins the US Open, but he would have likely made a deeper run there if he was more rested/fresh, which would have pretty much locked down the #1.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Yeah, I know. He was clearly the best player this year, and has been the overall best player since 2024. I continue to be worried about his fragility. I mentioned this as a concern a couple years ago. Hopefully he's healthy for next year, but I have my doubts.

Lets see I am not going to right him off,
Jannik has Lliotibal Band Syndrome of the tendon, when it comes to tendons a medium to long time is needed no less than 3 months, to strengthen the tendon, he is taking the right course of therapy, , hopefully he will be healthy for 2027.

 

[El Dude]

Lets see I am not going to right him off,
Jannik has Lliotibal Band Syndrome of the tendon, when it comes to tendons a medium to long time is needed no less than 3 months, to strengthen the tendon, he is taking the right course of therapy, , hopefully he will be healthy for 2027.

Definitely not writing him off, I just think he's got a tendoncy towards fragility (bad joke).

Who knows, maybe @Fiero425 is right and contemporary players are going to fall off earlier due to the intensity of their play. I personally think it will be somewhat ameliorated by improved medical technology etc, but maybe we'll see more modest schedules relative to years past. I mean, we already saw a decline in matches played from the 70s on. In fact:

Open Era record for matches played: 147 (Guillermo Vilas, 1977)
Last 110 match season: Ivan Lendl, 1982 (115 matches)
Last 100-match season: Rainer Schuettler, 2003 (101)
Last 90-match season: David Ferrer, 2012 (91)

Zverev played 88 matches in 2024, which was the most since Novak played 88 in 2015.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Definitely not writing him off, I just think he's got a tendoncy towards fragility (bad joke).

Who knows, maybe @Fiero425 is right and contemporary players are going to fall off earlier due to the intensity of their play. I personally think it will be somewhat ameliorated by improved medical technology etc, but maybe we'll see more modest schedules relative to years past. I mean, we already saw a decline in matches played from the 70s on. In fact:

Open Era record for matches played: 147 (Guillermo Vilas, 1977)
Last 110 match season: Ivan Lendl, 1982 (115 matches)
Last 100-match season: Rainer Schuettler, 2003 (101)
Last 90-match season: David Ferrer, 2012 (91)

Zverev played 88 matches in 2024, which was the most since Novak played 88 in 2015.

I have to agree with Fiero, regarding contemporary players regarding the intensity of their play, and even Alcaraz has come out after being sideline with a wrist injury he will take time off and not play a full schedule.
The courts have become slower, and heavier balls lead to longer, more physically demanding base line rallies rather than quick points, service winners and aces.
Even the modern day serve demands extreme range of motion and fast rotational force through the shoulders and spine, heightening risk of chronic overload.
Smaller head racquets do help players by giving them greater precision and control, provided they have the skill to consistently hit the center of the stringbed.
According to the Professional Tennis Players Association current tennis players are experiencing a sharp rise in injuries including a 42% increase in upper body injuries and a surge of 112% in arm injuries, due to a combination of relentless calendar demands, changing equipment specifications and slower court surfaces.

 

[El Dude]

Here's a chart I updated through 2025 of 75+ match seasons per year of hte Open Era. You might not be able to see it, but multiples at the same number are marked, so there are actually more than just the pink cells. But the main thing is you can see the clear pattern of lower matches played, especially after the early 80s. but with a consistent trajectory of fewer matches over the last 30 years.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

With Djokovic getting defeated in his 1st round match in Shanghai Masters, he will need a good run in Paris to qualify for Turin, currently in 8th position with 2,840 points