Carlos Alcaraz was recently unseated from the top of the ATP rankings by Jannik Sinner after falling in the Monte Carlo final. However, the Spanish phenom has another opportunity to reclaim the No. 1 spot this week as he competes in the ATP 500 Barcelona Open, also known as the Conde de Godó tournament.
Last year, Alcaraz was a finalist at this event, losing to Holger Rune. Despite that, Alcaraz is no stranger to victory here, having triumphed in both 2022 and 2023. Meanwhile, Sinner is opting for a rest period this week, focusing on the Madrid Open next week, which means Alcaraz could potentially gain ground without his rival adding further points.
Alcaraz is defending 330 ranking points from his previous performance. Therefore, winning the trophy is the only scenario that would see him overtake Sinner in the ATP rankings, as they are currently separated by a mere 160 points. If Alcaraz exits the tournament before the final, the point deficit between them is likely to widen.
Carlos Alcaraz’s Path in Barcelona
Alcaraz is scheduled to face Finland’s Otto Virtanen on Tuesday. Following that, he could potentially meet Tomas Machac or Sebastián Báez in the round of 16. The challenges will intensify in the semifinals, where he might encounter the third seed, Alex de Minaur, or Jack Draper. In the final, a potential opponent is the tournament’s second seed, fellow Italian Lorenzo Musetti.
On a positive note for Alcaraz, he will not be defending any ranking points next week, having missed the Madrid Open last year. Sinner, although initially slated for Madrid, has indicated he will take two to three days to rest before deciding on his participation. According to Punto de Break, he might consider skipping the Madrid tournament to prioritize the Rome Masters (where he lost to Alcaraz last year) and arrive at Roland Garros in optimal form.