Overview

• After splitting the season’s four Grand Slam titles, Alcaraz beat Sinner in the US Open final to end the Italian’s 65‑week stint at the top ranking.
• Sinner said he is “changing a lot of small things” and accepts a higher error rate for now, including tweaks to his serve and the addition of physiotherapist Alejandro Resnicoff.
• Alcaraz, debuting at the Japan Open, said he expects a different Sinner next time and is focused on staying ready for those adjustments.
• This week’s schedules diverge with Alcaraz in Tokyo and Sinner in Beijing, where ranking math suggests the gap could shift depending on their results and points defended.
• Analysts point to Shanghai and the ATP Finals in Turin as the most likely stages for their next high‑profile meetings, with recent head‑to‑head momentum tilting toward Alcaraz.