Can Carlos Alcaraz reclaim World No. 1 ranking at US Open?
Alcaraz is currently ranked No. 3 behind Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev
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Carlos Alcaraz is back, and he announced the news of his return in style. “Here we go,” he posted alongside a photo of himself in front of the US Open logo, ending a layoff that’s stretched since his title run in Barcelona back in April.
A right wrist injury kept him out of much of the clay swing and the grass season, a stretch that cost him dearly on the ranking charts.
The Spaniard was ruled out of Roland Garros, where he was defending 2,000 points as the 2025 champion. He missed Wimbledon too, dropping another 1,300 points.
Related: List of records Carlos Alcaraz could break at US Open 2026?
He also missed most of the Masters 1000 events on clay (including Madrid Open and Italian Open), Queen’s Club where he had 500 points on the line as the defending champion, and Cincinnati where another 1,000 more points were dropped as he was unable to return to retain his title.
Hence, it is no surprise that he has slipped to No. 3, holding currently 7,160 points. Meanwhile, Jannik Sinner confirmed his absence from the New York event, shocking the tennis fraternity.
The World No. 1 withdrew on July 21, due to his right knee injury that has kept him sidelined since retaining his Wimbledon crown, ending his streak of never missing a major since his 2019 debut. Since he was runner-up to Alcaraz at last year’s US Open, Sinner is set to drop 1,300 points regardless.
Despite the Italian’s absence and Alcaraz’s return, none of this will impact the No. 1 ranking. Sinner currently sits on 12,800 points. Even after losing 1,300 for skipping the Slam, he is still miles clear of everyone else.
Alcaraz’s ceiling is his own 7,160 points, since he can only defend the title, not add to it. The #2 ranked Alexander Zverev, who crashed out in the third-round last year, has less than 100 points to defend.
Hence, even if the German bows out of the opening round, and Alcaraz defends his title, the Spaniard will still be unable to break into the top two spot in ATP rankings.
| Player | Pre-US Open Points | 2025 US Open Points to Defend | Points After US Open 2025 Drop | Points After US Open 2026 if Player Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner | 12,800 | 1,300 | 11,500 | No change (Withdrew) |
| Alexander Zverev | 7,790 | 90 | 7,700 | 9,700 |
| Carlos Alcaraz | 7,160 | 2,000 | 5,160 | 7,160 |
What is Carlos Alcaraz’s current position in ATP rankings?
Alcaraz enters the US Open ranked third in the ATP rankings, behind Jannik Sinner (#1) and Alexander Zverev (#2).
Can Carlos Alcaraz reclaim the World No. 1 position in ATP rankings at the 2026 US Open?
As the defending champion, Alcaraz will be defending 7,160 points at Flushing Meadows. That leaves Sinner, who has 11,500 points despite pulling out, out of Alcaraz’s reach. So, no, the Spaniard won’t be able to reclaim the World No. 1 rank even if he defends his title.
Can Carlos Alcaraz reclaim the World No. 2 position in ATP rankings at the 2026 US Open?
Like Sinner, Zverev sits on 7.700 points prior to the start of the 2026 US Open, making it impossible for Alcaraz to overtake the German and climb to the second position in ATP rankings.
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