Alexander Zverev’s US Open title run has tightened the race at the top of the ATP Tour rankings, leaving Jannik Sinner with a much smaller cushion than before. Sinner did not compete at the US Open, while Zverev made full use of the opportunity, defeating Ben Shelton, Karen Khachanov, and Botic van de Zandschulp on his way to the trophy.

The German’s second Grand Slam crown has lifted him to within 1,810 ranking points of Sinner as the season moves into its decisive phase. That gap may yet shrink further, especially after Sinner confirmed his place in the Vienna Open, the ATP 500 indoor event scheduled for October 24 to November 1.

Sinner is the defending champion in Vienna, and his decision to return there underlines how important ranking points have become in the battle to keep hold of world No. 1. He is defending 3,550 points between now and the end of the season, while Zverev has only 1,040 points to defend.

Sinner’s recent history in the closing weeks of the season supports his position. Last year he won the China Open, the Vienna Open, the Paris Masters, and the ATP Finals, showing his strength on indoor hard courts. Even so, there are concerns around his current condition. He has not played since Wimbledon because of a knee injury, and that absence could make it harder for him to immediately hit top gear again on the ATP Tour.

His schedule also includes the China Open and the Shanghai Masters, two tournaments that are known for difficult heat conditions. Sinner has previously struggled in the heat and came close to retiring at the Shanghai Masters last year before losing to Tallon Griekspoor.

Zverev, meanwhile, is producing some of the best tennis of his career. His confidence, built on a two-time Grand Slam-winning season, could carry him through the rest of the year. He has also been a strong performer on hard courts, having won the Vienna Open, the ATP Finals, and the Chengdu Open on this surface in the past. With both men under pressure, the fight for No. 1 looks set to stay close.

Carlos Alcaraz’s return to competition at the US Open offered plenty of encouragement, even if his campaign ended with a five-set defeat to Ben Shelton in the quarter-finals.

The Spaniard arrived in New York under a cloud of uncertainty after spending four and a half months away from tennis following a wrist injury sustained at the Barcelona Open. Questions about whether he could quickly find his highest level were understandable, but they faded fast as he moved through the early rounds with authority.

Alcaraz defeated Roman Safiullin, Jaime Faria, Wu Yibing, and Tommy Paul to reach the last eight, losing only one set along the way. That kind of progress confirmed that his return was far stronger than many had expected.

The harder work now comes after the US Open. His calendar includes an exhibition appearance at the Laver Cup, the Six Kings Slam, and the ATP Tour’s Asian swing. It is a demanding run at a stage of the season when Alcaraz has not always produced his best tennis, and that trend will matter if he wants to keep closing the gap on Alexander Zverev and Jannik Sinner.

At present, Alcaraz is closer to Ben Shelton in fourth than he is to Zverev in second, and history suggests that may still be the case by the end of the 2026 season.

The closing months also carry another obstacle. Alcaraz has not yet won either of the final two Masters events of the year, the Shanghai Masters or the Paris Masters. His record in Shanghai is limited to three appearances and a best showing of the quarter-finals in 2024. Paris has been even less kind, with two second-round exits, including last year’s loss to Cameron Norrie, plus two third-round departures. Across five appearances there, he owns a 50% winning rate, which makes it his weakest Masters event by some distance.

Between the end of the US Open and the close of the season, Alcaraz has won only two tournaments, the China Open in 2024 and the Japan Open in 2025, both ATP 500 events.

John McEnroe has made a bold forecast about Alexander Zverev after the German’s 2026 US Open victory.

Zverev defeated Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-2 in Sunday’s final to claim his second Grand Slam title. The 29-year-old had already lifted his first major trophy at the 2026 French Open, and his season has also included a Wimbledon final and an Australian Open semi-final.

Before 2026, Zverev had gone 0-3 in Grand Slam finals, and he had often been described as the best player yet to win a major. McEnroe said the turnaround should not be viewed as a surprise, insisting the world No 2 had been “unlucky” to wait this long.

Speaking on ESPN after his final commentary duties, the seven-time Grand Slam singles champion said: “He was arguably unlucky. He should have had a couple of majors before this,”

McEnroe then went further, predicting that Zverev could end the season as world No 1 ahead of Jannik Sinner.

“So, uh, karma works in crazy ways, and somehow, he’s gonna finish the year the number one ranked player in the world,” McEnroe continued.

He also praised the quality of the final, saying Zverev “was certainly the better player today” and describing the performance as “a really strong strategic match, as well as an emotionally intense match, as well as a physical match.”

After the win at Flushing Meadows, Zverev now has 9,690 ranking points, leaving him 1,810 behind Sinner at the top of the official standings. In the Race to Turin, however, Zverev is first with 8,650 points. Sinner, who missed the US Open because of a knee injury, is second on 7,950, Shelton is third with 4,430, and Carlos Alcaraz is fourth on 4,050 after reaching the quarter-finals in New York. Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon with a right wrist injury.