Jannik Sinner is set to finish 2024 as the top-ranked men’s tennis player after Carlos Alcaraz’s loss to Tomas Machac in the Shanghai Masters quarterfinals.

This defeat eliminates any chance for Alcaraz to surpass Sinner in the remaining tournaments of the year.

Earlier in the day, Sinner triumphed over Daniil Medvedev with a score of 6-1, 6-4, securing his spot in the semifinals.

He now holds a substantial lead of 3020 points over Alcaraz in the ATP Race to Turin. The prestigious end-of-year Tour Finals for the world’s top eight players will take place from November 10 to November 17

Sinner currently leads with 9,730 points this season, while Alcaraz holds 6,210. With the Paris Masters and the Tour Finals remaining, Alcaraz’s maximum potential points total is 9,210.

World No. 33 Machac secured a victory over Alcaraz with a score of 7-6(5), 7-5, showcasing impressive form throughout the match.

Having recently reached the semifinals at the ATP 500-level Japan Open in Tokyo, Machac will now compete against Sinner for a chance to advance to the final in Shanghai, a 1,000-level tournament.

Machac’s victory snapped Alcaraz’s 12-match winning streak, following his thrilling triumph over Sinner in a tense third-set tiebreak at the ATP 500 China Open in Beijing.

Despite facing Machac, Alcaraz created eight break points (five in one game) but converted just one. He likely won’t be too discouraged, as he faced a strong opponent. Throughout the tournament, his serve was broken only twice, both by the Czech player.

Sinner’s confirmation as year-end world number one intensifies his rivalry with Alcaraz, who leads their head-to-head 6-4. In 2024, both players captured two Grand Slams, with Sinner earning six ATP titles compared to Alcaraz’s four.

The rivalry’s future and Sinner’s top ranking are uncertain, as an ongoing World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) appeal regarding Sinner’s doping case could result in a ban of up to two years