What Djokovic, Ruud and Tsitsipas need to do at the Australian Open to take No. 1 from Alcaraz

Though he won’t be competing due to a right leg injury, Carlos Alcaraz will be spending his 19th and 20th consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the ATP rankings during the Australian Open fortnight.

He may not get a 21st consecutive week, though, as Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic all have a chance at passing him depending on how the first major of the year plays out.

Here’s what each of them needs to do to become No. 1:

~ Ruud can do it two ways: first, by winning the title; second, just by reaching the final, as long as Tsitsipas doesn’t beat him in the final (Tsitsipas is on the opposite half of the draw as Ruud).

~ Tsitsipas will become No. 1 by winning the title.

~ Djokovic will become No. 1 by winning the title.

If none of them fulfill those scenarios, Alcaraz stays No. 1.

Rafael Nadal, who’s currently ranked No. 2 behind Alcaraz, can’t take No. 1 from his countryman because even if he successfully defends his title, he’ll still have 5,770 points—meanwhile Alcaraz is only dropping third round points from last year, so will still have 6,640 points.

Ruud and Tsitsipas, who are currently ranked No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, have career-highs of No. 2 and No. 3, respectively—so they would be rising to No. 1 for the first time.

Djokovic, who’s currently ranked No. 5, already holds the record for most career weeks at No. 1 in ATP rankings history, having spent 373 weeks at the top spot between 2011 and 2022.

A return to the top spot would be particularly impressive for Djokovic given this will only be the 12th event he’s played over the last year that has ranking points (it’ll be his 14th event overall, but Wimbledon didn’t offer points last year, and while Laver Cup matches are officially counted as tour-level wins and losses, there are no points there either).