There’s a certain look top players have after surviving a late-season grind. The world number 2, Jannik Sinner, had it in Paris—not the swagger of a man cruising to the finish line, but the wary composure of someone carefully managing the weight on his shoulders. Victory came, yes—but so did a feeling that something deeper was brewing beneath the surface.

Having already played around 50 matches this season, there have been a few moments recently when we’ve seen Sinner struggling a bit with some fitness issues. We saw how a mysterious pain from cramps forced him to retire against Tallon Griekspoor in the R32 of the Shanghai Masters, and then it was followed by yet another grueling Vienna Open final against Alexander Zverev. Before starting his campaign at the Paris Masters, the Italian described the Vienna final as “very physical,” reflecting a bit on the toll of playing five matches in a row with “not much time to recover.” Seeing his recent successive struggles with cramps, former pro Steve Johnson called it a bit “weird.” 

Jannik Sinner’s fans were a bit worried about his participation at the Paris Masters due to these injury concerns. But fortunately for all the tennis lovers, Sinner not only started the competition, but he has also dominated in the previous two matches. With his recent 7-5, 6-1 win over Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo, he has now joined Novak Djokovic in the list of active players who have now reached the final at all the Grand Slams and the QFs at all the Masters tournaments. He’s now also the first Italian to reach the QFs at all nine ATP Masters 1000 events. However, after the match, Sinner said he’s happy with the way he handled this match, but at the same time, while speaking about his next challenge, he added, “Let’s see what’s coming. I hope I can recover physically; that’s my main priority.”

Sinner will face America’s Ben Shelton in the QF. But before this match, his further clarification about his current fitness levels raised a few eyebrows. He said, “We try to manage it. Of course I’m not fresh fresh. But let’s see. I feel like today was a match that wasn’t as physical. Which is good for me. Happy to finish it off in 2 sets. Under one and a half hours. I’m gonna sleep very well tonight.” Against Shelton, we’re expecting a harder battle, but since we’ve already witnessed quite a few walkovers this season, there always remains a concern for all the Sinner fans.

But coming back to the positive things to take away from this match. Jannik Sinner is yet to drop a set in this tournament, and with this win, he has also equaled Carlos Alcaraz (18) for the most quarter-finals reached at the ATP Masters 1000 events among players born since 2000. 

Now, as the Paris spotlight intensifies, Sinner turns toward a challenge unlike any before in this tournament—a booming American serve, fearless shot-making, and a rising star who refuses to play by traditional tempo. Shelton isn’t just another opponent; he’s chaos in motion, armed with a lefty cannon that has rattled seasoned veterans all season. A win in this match will bring him closer to snatching the world number one rank from Alcaraz.

Jannik Sinner has a good chance of snatching the crown from Carlos Alcaraz, but…

Amid the late-season grind and under the bright lights of the La Defense Arena, Jannik Sinner walks with a quiet urgency. He doesn’t roar after wins, and he rarely flexes his muscles with exaggerated pride—but his tennis this year has yet again spoken louder than any scream ever could. Despite missing out on a significant part of this season due to the doping suspension, he still managed to win four titles (including two Grand Slam triumphs).

Now, standing on the brink of the ATP Finals and the season’s closing stretch, the Italian finds himself within touching distance of regaining the top spot from his fierce rival, Carlos Alcaraz. Sinner needs to win the Paris Masters to secure the world number one rank from the Spaniard. But irrespective of what happens in Paris, sadly for Sinner, he won’t be the top seed at the ATP Finals. Reason?

The seedings at the ATP Finals are based on the ATP Rankings Race to Turin, and Alcaraz is currently on 11,050 points. If we assume Jannik Sinner wins the title in Paris, he will get a maximum of 10,000 points. Now, even if we look at the Live Rankings, Alcaraz has 11,250 points, and lifting the title here would help Sinner reach 11,500 points. But Jannik Sinner can stay at the top for just one week, because the points for the 2024 ATP Finals (which he won) will drop after the final week of the regular ATP Tour action.

So, Carlos Alcaraz will be the top seed and will head Group Jimmy Connors, and Sinner will top Group Bjorn Borg at the 2025 ATP Finals. But if we keep this world number one ranking aside, a title triumph in Paris would also do wonders for his confidence before entering the 2026 season, but to reach the title decider match, he first needs to overcome two massive hurdles.

Talking about the first hurdle, Jannik Sinner has a 6-1 record against Ben Shelton. The last time they faced each other was in the QF of the 2025 Wimbledon Championships. Sinner defeated the American by 7-6(2), 6-4, 6-4 in that match. If you remember, even that time there were some speculations about Sinner not being 100% fit after a nasty fall during his fourth-round match against Grigor Dimitrov.

Speaking about the experience of facing Sinner at Wimbledon, Shelton had then said, “His ball speed is really high. Never seen anything like it. You don't see anything like it when you're going through the draw. When you play him, it's almost like things are in [two times] speed. I'm usually pretty good at adjusting to that speed. It’s difficult when a guy's hitting the ball that big, that consistently off both wings and serving the way he is.”

Talking about the injury concerns surrounding Jannik Sinner before that match, Shelton said the balls were coming off really big from his racket in that match. So, it didn’t seem like he was having any issues with his elbow. Probably, once again, the Italian will defy all the challenges and try to bring out his A-game in this epic QF duel. Who, according to you, will secure a spot in the SF of the Paris Masters?

Written by

Sayantan Roy

Sayantan Roy is a seasoned tennis journalist at EssentiallySports. He brings a deep tactical understanding to his coverage, breaking down head-to-head records, match dynamics, and on-court strategies with precision. For more than two years, Sayantan has been a key member of the Live Events desk, delivering real-time insights and data-backed predictions for the platform’s Matchday Preview section. His analytical approach has sparked editorial debates and drawn recognition from respected tennis voices, including commentator and analyst Olly_Tennis. Combining his experience in writing with a passion for insightful sports journalism, Sayantan’s work serves as a trusted reference point for tennis fans around the world.

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Edited by

Shrabana Sengupta