Alcaraz absence leaves No.1 spot up for grabs
Rafael Nadal or Stefanos Tsitsipas could end the year as world No.1 in Carlos Alcaraz's absence if they can succeed in Turin this week.
In recent years, the notable absentee at the ATP Finals has been Roger Federer, with his last appearance in the tournament coming in 2019.
The lack of Federer at the showpiece event will be felt even more apparent this year after the Swiss maestro retired from tennis in September, although it is the absence of a player at the other end of his career that is more relevant in Turin.
World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz had to withdraw from the tournament after suffering an abdominal tear, which means his status at the top of the men's game is in jeopardy.
Nadal has spoken well of his 19-year-old compatriot in the past but is not ready to pass the torch just yet, and could even topple Alcaraz from the rankings summit.
The 22-time grand slam champion has finished as year-end No.1 five times previously, most recently in 2019.
Should he accomplish the feat again this year it would put him in joint-second for most year-end finishes at the top of the ATP Rankings (since 1973) along with Pete Sampras (six).
In order to return to the top of the men's game Nadal, who started the year 20-0 as he added another Australian Open trophy to his cabinet, will need to win the elite event for the first time in 11 attempts.
He has only played once since the US Open after becoming a father for the first time and recuperating from injuries but he has won 32 per cent of his return games in 2022, the highest percentage by any player this year, and has converted 43.8 per cent of his break points, the third best amongst all players.
At the age of 36, Nadal is grateful to still be getting a crack at finally ticking off the ATP Finals on his impressive list of accomplishments.
"I try my best in every single event. That's true. Doesn't matter if I won it [in the past] or not," Nadal, a two-time runner-up, said at an ATP media day prior to the tournament in Turin.
"When I enter a tennis tournament, I want to win and I'm going to try my best to achieve that goal. Here I was not able to make it, I was not good enough to make it in the past... Of course it's going to be a challenge, but I hope I will be ready to give myself a chance."
Tsitsipas is the other competitor who can knock Alcaraz off top spot, though his task to do so is a little more complicated as he needs to win every match on the way to the title in Turin.
No player has played more matches in 2022 than Tsitsipas (80), winning 59 of them.
Should neither Nadal or Tsitsipas win at the Pala Alpitour, Alcaraz will breathe a sigh of relief and earn his first year-end No.1 finish, having taken his place after winning the US Open in September.
Nadal has been drawn into the Green Group with Casper Ruud, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Taylor Fritz while Tsitsipas will be in the Red Group and face Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Novak Djokovic.
While Djokovic is unable to end the year on top, despite having done so on more occasions than anyone else in history (seven), the 21-time grand slam champion can still make his mark in Italy.
His season has been a complicated one. Absent from the Australian and US Opens because he didn't want to be vaccinated against COVID-19, the Serbian great did triumph at Wimbledon, but there were no ranking points on offer at SW19.
Djokovic has slipped to No.8 in the rankings as a result but does have four titles to his name in 2022 and is eyeing a record-equalling sixth ATP Finals title (to join Federer) and first since 2015.
"It would be a perfect ending, The cherry on the cake, for sure, but it's a long way. It's a long week," he said.
"You've got to play the best players in the world. You have to play more or less everyone in this tournament at least once, so I look forward to it.
"I've had experience in this tournament, in this format, many times and hopefully that can serve me in a good way."
