No.’s 2-1
No. 2: Carlos Alcaraz
2025 Finish: No. 1
Before opening this article, I am sure you knew who was No. 1 and No. 2 on this list. But what order would they be in?
After finishing No. 1 in 2025, I have Carlos Alcaraz falling one spot back in 2026. This has more to do with who is No. 1 than it does with the Spaniard. Alcaraz is prone to inconsistent play, especially outside of slams. Five of his nine losses this season came to players ranked outside the Top 10. In a race to year-end No. 1, every point matters.
No. 1: Jannik Sinner
2025 Finish: No. 2
After becoming the first Italian in ATP history to finish as year-end No. 1 in 2024, Jannik Sinner ceded the crown to Alcaraz this past year. In 2026, I see him taking it back.
Sinner missed three months of action in 2025 and still fell just 550 points short of Alcaraz. He lost just six matches in 2025, and four of them were to his Spanish rival. Sinner is the more reliable and consistent player, and should be the favorite to win every hardcourt event he competes in. Expect another phenomenal season from the Italian.
Main Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui/The Desert Sun/USAToday Sports
