Sinner beat Alcaraz in the deciding match of the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia, with the Italian claiming a stunning $6million prize cheque from just three days of work on court.
That contest in Riyhad was not an ATP Tour match, so that result will not count towards the official tennis rankings, where Sinner holds a commanding lead over his big rival.
Yet the UTR Rating offers a more vivid snapshot of the current state of play in the men’s game and Alcaraz has taken over as No 1 in that list from Sinner.
The ‘Big 2’ in the men’s game have been swapping placed at the top of the UTR Ratings throughout 2024, with Sinner claiming control in the opening months of the year before Alcaraz struck back.
With the duo collecting two Grand Slam titles each this year, it is hard to separate them and yet Alcaraz has won the three big head-to-head battles they have contested, including a key win in the French Open semi-finals.
Alcaraz’s win against Sinner in a thrilling China Open Final earlier this month will have contributed to the movement in the UTR Rating, with the algorithm used to calculate the rankings based on recent form rather than the year-round calculation of the ATP Ranking.
Victories against higher-ranked played are worth more in the UTR list than the official ATP or WTA Ranking, meaning they offer up a more accurate reflection of the current form at the top of the game.
The UTR Rankings are based on the current form from the last few weeks and months rather than reflecting results that occurred up to a year ago, with the system created to promote fair and competitive play across the tennis world.
