ATP rankings update: Where Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and Ben Shelton stand ahead of the 2026 Australian Open swing

Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, and others are gearing up for the upcoming hardcourt swing in 2026. They will be eager to make their mark at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Alcaraz ended his season by winning the Year-End No. 1 trophy in Turin. He also secured a runner-up finish in the ATP Finals, where he lost to Jannik Sinner in straight sets, 7-6(4), 7-5.

Djokovic, meanwhile, showed his class by winning the Hellenic Championships in Athens. He defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the final and claimed the fourth spot in the ATP Rankings this year.

On the other hand, Ben Shelton held on to the ninth spot in the ATP Rankings. The American entered the top 10 for the first time this year and also captured his maiden Masters 1000 event in Toronto.

On that note, let's look at the latest updates in the ATP Rankings, new entrants in the top 20, and how things could shape up in 2026.

Alcaraz and Sinner held on to the top two spots in the ATP Rankings. Felix Auger-Aliassime was rewarded with a place in the top five for his impressive season this year.

Additionally, Alexander Bublik galloped nearly 20 places from last year to enter the top 20. He not only reached the quarterfinals in Paris but also claimed the honors in Halle and Kitzbuhel in 2025.

Here are the top 20 in the ATP Rankings ahead of the new season:

1) Carlos Alcaraz – 12,050 points

2) Jannik Sinner – 11,500 points

3) Alexander Zverev – 5,110 points

4) Novak Djokovic – 4,820 points

5) Felix Auger-Aliassime – 4,190 points

6) Taylor Fritz – 4,085 points

7) Alex de Minaur – 4,080 points

8) Lorenzo Musetti – 3,990 points

9) Ben Shelton – 3,960 points

10) Jack Draper – 2,990 points

11) Alexander Bublik – 2,845 points

12) Casper Ruud – 2,825 points

13) Daniil Medvedev – 2,710 points

14) Alejandro Davidovich Fokina – 2,585 points

15) Holger Rune – 2,580 points

16) Andrey Rublev – 2,510 points

17) Karen Khachanov – 2,320 points

18) Jiri Lehecka – 2,315 points

19) Jakub Mensik – 2,150 points

20) Tommy Paul – 2,050 points

For the complete list of players in the ATP Rankings, click here.

ATP Rankings Rule Change: Only the best 18 tournaments will be calculated from 2026

Carlos Alcaraz at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters - Day Eight - Source: Getty

Beginning in 2026, the ATP has introduced some changes to the calculation of world rankings. They will now be based on a player’s best 18 results in a season, one fewer than before, with ATP Finals points added for qualified players.

Results from the four Grand Slams and eight Masters 1000 events will remain mandatory, while Monte Carlo stays optional. The remaining slots will be filled by a player’s best six results from tournaments such as the Monte-Carlo Masters, the United Cup, ATP 500s, ATP 250s, Challengers, and ITF events.

There are also changes for the top-30 “commitment players” in ATP 500 tournaments. From 2026, the required number drops from five to four, with at least one event after the US Open, and Monte Carlo can now be counted if played.

ATP Rankings Rule Change: How does it affect Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Taylor Fritz, and more?

Carlos Alcaraz Pre-Season Training - Source: Getty

The updated ATP ranking rules came into effect today, with players dropping between 0 and 55 points from their weakest optional result. The change has had minimal impact on the standings, with Karen Khachanov and Jiri Lehecka the only players to swap places in the top 20.

Jaume Munar was one of the main movers, climbing from No. 36 to a career-high No. 33. However, the Spaniard is set to fall back to No. 38 next week after losing his 2025 Hong Kong semifinal points, which expire before he gets a chance to defend them.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner didn't lose any points in the ATP Rankings due to a new rule change. However, Taylor Fritz, Alex De Minaur, and Alexander Zverev lost 50 points ahead of the new season in 2026.

Edited by Aman Mohamed