How close can Sinner move to Djokovic in battle for World No. 1?

Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour

Jannik Sinner can turn up the heat on Novak Djokovic in the battle for World No. 1 at the Mutua Madrid Open.

The top seed in Spain is No. 2 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, trailing Djokovic by 1,365 points. However, the 22-year-old can close the gap to 375 points by lifting the trophy at the Caja Magica.

PIF ATP Live Rankings

Sinner did not compete at the ATP Masters 1000 event last year, so every match will be an opportunity to inch closer to his Serbian rival. He will begin his tournament against countryman Lorenzo Sonego in the second round.

The World No. 2 owns a 25-2 record in 2024, a season in which he claimed his first major title at the Australian Open, a Masters 1000 crown in Miami and a crown in Rotterdam.

“I don't want to put pressure on myself. I'm living a very positive moment, winning a lot of matches, I [will] just try to keep going like this,” Sinner said during his pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday. “In my mind, I know that I can and have to improve if I want to win more.”

If Sinner makes the semi-finals in Madrid (400 points), he will be within striking range of World No. 1 in Rome, where the Serbian will defend 180 points compared to the Italian’s 90. If Sinner wins Madrid and Rome, he would be guaranteed to surge to World No. 1 for the first time.

That is not the only battle near the top of the sport. Two-time defending Madrid champion Carlos Alcaraz, World No. 3, only leads World No. 4 Daniil Medvedev by 150 points in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

While Alcaraz has won the past two editions of the Madrid tournament and Medvedev has never advanced past the Round of 16, he is still within striking distance. However, Medvedev will defend 1,000 points in Rome, where Alcaraz will only defend 45 points. So even if Medvedev reaches No. 3 after Madrid, it likely will not be for long.

There could be a lot of movement towards the bottom of the Top 10, too. Only 650 points separate No. 7 Stefanos Tsitsipas (3,860) and No. 12 Holger Rune (3,210) in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.