The two names that dominate tennis headlines this season are Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. And it’s not stopping anytime soon. The pair have now been dubbed the “new two,” and for good reason. Meeting in five finals this year alone, they’ve locked horns while shattering records like that marathon French Open final. Sinner owned 2024 with eight titles and a year-end No.1 at just 23. But this time, Alcaraz turned the tables. The Spaniard has beaten him in four of five matches this year and leads their head-to-head 10-5. There’s still an 840-point gap in their rankings, but Sinner is closing in fast. The real question: Is he chasing it?

On Friday, the top seed at the Paris Masters booked his first-ever semifinal at the event with a straight-sets win over Ben Shelton. It wasn’t all smooth sailing. The servebot gave him trouble, and there were signs of fatigue, but Sinner powered through 6-3, 6-3. After the match, he reflected on the grind, saying, “[Translated from Italian] I’m happy: it was a complicated match. You don’t have too much control against him, he has a great serve. But I responded well and played well. Tomorrow will be a very physical match, we’ll see how I feel.”

Then came the question everyone wanted answered: was he excited about possibly reclaiming the No.1 spot? With Alcaraz out early in Paris, Sinner has a real shot to head into the Nitto ATP Finals back on top if he wins here. But the Italian stayed humble. “About the ranking? Honestly, I’m not thinking about it right now. That becomes a consequence of how I play. Whatever will happen, will happen. Being here in the semifinals means a lot, especially after a very long season.” Hard to argue with that perspective, right?

Looking at his journey right now, he’s fresh off his Vienna Open victory. Jannik Sinner has barely had time to breathe before stepping into the Paris Masters grind. The four-time Grand Slam champion looked a bit weary under the Paris La Défense Arena lights on Thursday night. During his 7-5, 6-1 win over world No.21 Francisco Cerundolo, he stretched his right leg and moved sluggishly between points, especially early on.

No medical timeout, though. Once he found his rhythm, the rest was classic Sinner: sharp, composed, and dominant. The second set was clinical against the 27-year-old Argentine.

Now he waits for the winner between Zverev and Medvedev. The question lingers: can he keep this run alive all the way to another final? He’s riding a 24-match indoor hard-court winning streak, the best on tour. Still, the 24-year-old keeps it real about the chase for year-end No.1. For now, his focus stays fixed on the next match, not the math.

Jannik Sinner dubbed the year-end No.1 “impossible“

The Italian world number two lost his hold on the top spot after falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final in September, ending his 65-week run at No. 1. On Tuesday, ahead of his opening match at the Paris Masters, he seemed to have accepted it it. “It’s impossible (to finish the year at No. 1). Honestly, I’m not thinking about this at the moment. It’s going to be a goal for next year,” Sinner told reporters in Paris.

Mathematically, the door is still open. Jannik Sinner trails the Spaniard by less than 1,000 points, so a title run in Paris could flip the standings if the Spaniard doesn’t make the semifinals. But then comes the tough part. Sinner will need to defend 1,500 points at the ATP Finals in Turin, which he won in 2024. Alcaraz, who exited early last year, has fewer points on the line. “This year it’s not in my hands,” Sinner said.

The 24-year-old enters Paris full of confidence after winning the Vienna Open on Sunday but admits the long season has taken a toll. He retired from the Shanghai Masters earlier in October after suffering cramps and later dealt with a thigh issue in Austria. “It was not the same issue at all (in Vienna),” he said. “I feel like (it) was normal. You know, I played five days in a row. The final was very physical. It can happen.”

Not to mention, even if the World No.2 manages to reclaim the top spot this week, it would only last a few days before the ATP Finals reshuffle the rankings again. Turin, though, offers another big chance, especially with home fans behind him. For now, all eyes are on Paris. With potential tests against Daniil Medvedev or Alexander Zverev in the semis ahead, Jannik Sinner will aim to keep his form steady and chase that first Masters title in the French capital. Will he succeed? Share your thoughts below!