Carlos Alcaraz Focused on His Game, Not Sinner’s Suspension in Race for No. 1
Carlos Alcaraz has made it clear that he is not dwelling on how Jannik Sinner’s suspension could impact the ATP rankings, emphasizing that his main focus remains on his own performances and tournament victories.
Over the weekend, it was announced that Sinner had reached a settlement with WADA in his doping case, agreeing to a three-month suspension that runs from February 9 to May 4. As a result, the current world No. 1 will miss major ATP events in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid but will return in time for the Rome Masters and French Open.
With Sinner currently holding 11,830 points, followed by Alexander Zverev (8,135 points) and Alcaraz (7,510 points), there is a real opportunity for both Alcaraz and Zverev to challenge for the top ranking while the Italian sits out.
Alcaraz: “We Try to Do Well Regardless of Who Plays”
When asked about Sinner’s suspension and its impact on the battle for the No. 1 ranking, Alcaraz remained focused on his own progress.
“There is not much to say about the sanction,” the 22-year-old told AS. “But whether Jannik plays or not, we try to do well in every tournament, because first place is a goal.”
The Spaniard also reiterated that his mindset remains on improving his game rather than tracking his rivals’ situations.
“Right now, as always, we try to focus on what we need to improve, and from there we will do our best in the tournaments to try to get closer to first place.”
Alcaraz’s Goals: Another Grand Slam & Masters Success
When asked about his goals for the season, Alcaraz highlighted winning another Grand Slam and performing well at Masters 1000 events as his primary targets.
“Trying to win at least one Grand Slam is a good goal, as is fighting for Masters 1000,” he said. “These are the clearest goals, but each tournament is important, so I will try to win as many as possible.”
With Sinner temporarily sidelined, the coming months provide a golden opportunity for Alcaraz to close the gap in the rankings—but the Spaniard remains committed to focusing on his own game rather than external circumstances.
