The ATP Race to the Paris Olympics is down to the final few laps, and Jannik Sinner is firmly in control.
This race will determine the 56 players of the 64-man draw in singles who will qualify for the Olympic tennis tournament based on the actual ranking of June 10th, 2024. On that date, the Olympics race window closes, marking a full year since it began tallying points for all ATP players.
Despite losing for the second time this season at last week’s Monte-Carlo Masters, Sinner has a 715-point cushion over second-placed Novak Djokovic. The bulk of his points came from winning the Toronto and Miami Masters and his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Djokovic, meanwhile, lost for the fourth time this year but has a healthy lead over Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard faces immediate danger from Daniil Medvedev for the third spot, having withdrawn from Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
Russian and Belarusian players will be allowed to compete as neutral athletes following the lifting of the ban. This is an added incentive for Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, who are both in contention to play in Paris. Tokyo gold medalist Alexander Zverev is in fifth spot.
Stefanos Tsitsipas thrust his name into the Top 10 thanks to his majestic triumph in Monte Carlo. The Greek has also re-entered the world’s top 10 in the official ATP rankings.
Ben Shelton is the top-ranked American in the race. Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz are also in pole position to qualify. Frances Tiafoe, Sebastian Korda, and Christoper Eubanks will battle to be among the best-four-ranked Americans, as that is the maximum number of representatives in singles per country.
The home nation is also expected to be well represented, with Ugo Humbert and veterans Adrian Mannarino and Gael Monfils in line to play at Roland Garros, which is the scheduled venue to host this year’s Olympics tennis tournament.