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Italian tennis sensation Jannik Sinner deservedly opened his account at the Majors this year, capturing the Australian Open 2024 in Melbourne. He is on a 15-match win streak which started in November.
The 22-year-old will enter the Indian Wells 2024, also known as the BNP Paribas Open, on the back of a title-winning run in Rotterdam. He is one of the favorites to continue his purple patch at the Masters 1000 event. His rivals Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz will be determined to halt his brilliant run on tour.
Hardcourt specialist Daniil Medvedev and former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will also feature at the Indian Wells and add to the competition. Jannik Sinner was ranked outside the top 10 in 2022 but has now entered the top five of the ATP rankings in the world. He is the World No. 3 at the moment and is quickly closing in on Alcaraz's No. 2 spot.
Alcaraz and Sinner are two of the most talented youngsters on the men's tour. Critics have already drawn parallels between the duo and tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. While Alcaraz is just 20, Sinner turned 22 in August last year. Both have shown incredible maturity at a young age and have risen through the ranks rapidly.
On that note, let's analyze the chances Sinner has to replace Alcaraz as the new World No. 2 as we near the beginning of the BNP Paribas Open 2024. Here's a look at the ranking points up for grabs at the Masters 1000 event.
Winner: 1000 points
Runner-up: 650 points
Semi-finalist: 400 points
Quarter-finalist: 200 points
Fourth round: 100 points
Third round: 50 points
Second round: 30 points
First round: 10 points
Alcaraz is 535 points ahead of Jannik Sinner in the World ATP rankings. If Sinner wins the BNP Paribas Open and Alcaraz fails to reach the final, he will lose his spot to the Italian. Moreover, if Sinner reaches the final and Alcaraz fails to reach the last eight, he will still lose his second spot in the ATP rankings.
Another interesting stat reveals that if both players lose in the second round, Sinner will be the new World No. 2, as Alcaraz has more points to defend than Sinner at the Indian Wells.
Ultimately, making a strong impression at the BNP Paribas Open will be a demanding task for both players. The fierce competition on the men's tour and the inclusion of tennis legends Djokovic and Nadal in the main draw signify that players will need to set the tone early for themselves and be on song from the word go.
Alcaraz put up a clinical performance last year and clinched the Indian Wells title without dropping a set. This year, he is included in the bottom half of the men's draw alongside Sinner and is most likely to meet the Italian in the semifinals. The duo will face stiff competition from the likes of Ben Shelton, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Considering their recent results and form on the main tour, Sinner has a great chance to claim the No. 2 spot from Alcaraz in the ATP rankings after the Indian Wells. The Spaniard has yet to win a title since capturing the Wimbledon Championships 2023 and may be feeling the effects of his demanding schedule in the last two years.
To his credit, he has continuously pushed himself to the limits against the best players in the world and blossomed into a top competitor on tour. However, at the moment, Jannik Sinner seems confident and has a better chance at the BNP Paribas Open.
Jannik Sinner will make his fourth appearance at the BNP Paribas Open
Jannik Sinner will be making his fourth appearance at the BNP Paribas Open this year.
The Italian chalked up a semifinal finish last year, which is his best result at the event so far. He defeated the likes of Adrian Mannarino, Stan Wawrinka, and Taylor Fritz en route to the last four, but lost to Carlos Alcaraz.
The 22-year-old will be eager to go one step further this time around. He will begin his campaign against Thanasi Kokkinakis or Marcos Giron in the second round.
The main draw action at the BNP Paribas Open 2024 will begin on March 7.
