If you have got checked the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings this week, you may need seen that Carlos Alcaraz has a chance to tie World No. 1 Novak Djokovic by profitable the Rio Open offered by Claro. However, the Spaniard can’t return to World No. 1 subsequent Monday.

When two gamers are tied for a similar spot within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings, the primary tie-break goes to the participant who has extra factors on the obligatory occasions: the Nitto ATP Finals, Grand Slams and ATP Masters 1000s. Djokovic has 5,820 factors at these tournaments in comparison with Alcaraz’s 5,090.

Therefore, even when Alcaraz defends his Rio de Janeiro title and matches the variety of factors Djokovic may have Monday (6,980), the Serbian will stay No. 1 and Alcaraz No. 2. 

The battle for No. 1 will warmth up subsequent week, with each males set to compete in ATP 500 occasions. Alcaraz is scheduled to play within the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC, and Djokovic will prepared the ground on the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

If Alcaraz emerges victorious in Rio de Janeiro and subsequent week advances additional within the attract Acapulco than Djokovic does in Dubai, the Spaniard will return to World No. 1 on 6 March. Even if the 19-year-old doesn’t triumph in Brazil, he’ll nonetheless have an opportunity relying on the Serbian’s lead to Dubai.

“It has been a long time [I spent] at No. 1,” Alcaraz mentioned final week in Buenos Aires, the place he made his return after greater than three months away attributable to damage. “Now it’s a goal for me to recover No. 1 and try to do my best in these tournaments to be back on that number. I’m looking for that.”

Last September, Alcaraz turned the youngest World No. 1 within the historical past of the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. The 19-year-old held high spot for 20 weeks earlier than relinquishing it when Djokovic lifted the Australian Open trophy.