Defined: How Jannik Sinner fortified his lead atop the ATP rankings regardless of not enjoying Indian Wells resulting from doping ban

Jannik Sinner, the world’s top-ranked participant, is
at the moment serving a three-month ban that he had acquired for 2 failed doping exams final 12 months. The Italian, in consequence, needed to watch his rivals battle it out on the Indian Wells Open – the match through which he had examined constructive for banned anabolic agent Clostebol – on a tv set as a substitute of on the court docket.

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Sinner’s ban started on 9 February and can finish on 4 Could, three days earlier than the Italian Open will get underway in Rome. And regardless of not competing on the Indian Wells Open this month, through which Briton Jack Draper defeated Norway’s Holger Rune 6-2, 6-2 to be topped champion, Sinner managed to consolidate his lead on the high of the ATP rankings.

How Sinner improved his lead atop the ATP rankings regardless of doping ban

For begins Sinner had fewer rating factors to defend at Indian Wells resulting from his semi-final exit final 12 months, with Carlos Alcaraz – the eventual champion – exhibiting him the door with a 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. The Spaniard, at the moment ranked third on this planet, fail to defend his title this 12 months, dropping to Draper 1-6, 6-0, 4-6 within the semi-finals.

What additionally helped Sinner’s case was the truth that Alexander Zverev, ranked second on this planet, failed to shut the hole with him with a second-round defeat towards Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor.

Sinner had already misplaced 400 rating factors from the Indian Wells final 12 months resulting from his constructive doping check, and didn’t lose any additional rating factors resulting from his absence this month. Alcaraz, alternatively, misplaced 600 rating factors.

Sinner at the moment sits on the high with 11,330 whereas Zverev and Alcaraz are third and fourth respectively with 7,945 and 6,910 factors respectively.

Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion who has skilled a pointy drop in type since final 12 months, is again among the many high 5 with 3,860 whereas Draper has halved his rating to maneuver to a career-best No 7 as a consequence of his victory on Sunday.

The southpaw gained 990 rating factors to maneuver into the highest 10 and at the moment has 3,800 factors to his title.

Zverev and Alcaraz, nevertheless, will get the chance to shut the hole with the Italian on the Miami Open, which can also be an ATP 1000 occasion, later this month.