Jannik Sinner has now marked his 45th week as the world No. 1 in the ATP rankings, placing him 13th on the all-time list for weeks spent at the top. The 23-year-old Italian is closing in on Rafael Nadal’s first reign of 46 weeks and is set to surpass it by the end of April. His next target? Jim Courier, followed by the long-standing records of Novak Djokovic.
Sinner ascended to the top of the rankings after reaching the semifinals at Roland Garros last year, becoming the 29th player in ATP history to hold the No. 1 spot. Since then, he’s maintained his grip on the ranking, even during a challenging start to 2025.
Three-Month Suspension Ends Soon
Despite not playing since his Australian Open triumph in January, Sinner has remained atop the rankings. He’s been serving a three-month suspension following two failed doping tests from March 2024. Sinner reached an agreement with WADA earlier this year, accepting the ban, and is now preparing for his return at the Rome Masters.
Alcaraz and Zverev Can’t Catch Him—Yet
Neither of Sinner’s closest rivals, Alexander Zverev nor Carlos Alcaraz, have been able to overtake him. Zverev has struggled since finishing runner-up in Melbourne, while Alcaraz narrowed the gap slightly with his recent Monte Carlo Masters win, trimming Sinner’s lead to 2,210 points.
Sinner’s return at the Rome Masters will mark a crucial moment in the rankings race. With his current momentum and point buffer, he has a realistic shot at holding on to the No. 1 spot through Roland Garros.
A Year of Dominance
Sinner’s rise began in earnest during the second half of 2023. He compiled a stunning 93-7 record over his last 100 matches and won several titles, including his first Grand Slam at the 2024 Australian Open, where he defeated both Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev.
He followed that up with trophies in Rotterdam and Miami. Though he later withdrew from Madrid and skipped Rome, Sinner capitalized on Djokovic’s Roland Garros withdrawal to rise to the top of the ATP rankings.
As the new world No. 1, he won his debut event in Halle and reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals, where he lost to Medvedev after battling through physical issues. Sinner opted out of the Olympic Games but bounced back by winning titles in Cincinnati and the US Open, effectively sealing the year-end No. 1 position.
He added a third Masters 1000 title in Shanghai, skipped the Paris Masters, and finished the season by dominating the ATP Finals in Turin, winning five matches in straight sets.
To cap off a historic year, Sinner led Italy to a Davis Cup title, finishing the season with a remarkable 73-6 record.
A Big Return Awaits
Sinner kicked off 2025 by defending his Australian Open title, winning the tournament while dropping just two sets across seven matches. Off the court, he dealt with the WADA situation, which has kept him out of competition since February.
Now, with his suspension ending and a return at the Rome Masters on the horizon, Sinner will be back on court as world No. 1—with his eyes set on breaking more records.
