"A lot can change in a year on the tennis tour. Around this time in 2024, Naomi Osaka was 57th in the world, still looking for traction following her return from maternity leave. Belinda Bencic was 487th, just getting started on her own comeback. Eighteen-year-old Victoria Mboko was 336th and only beginning to embark on a high-level professional pursuit. Now they're 16th, 11th and 18th in the world, respectively. Amanda Anisimova jumped from 36th to fourth."
"The 2026 ATP season will be defined by whether anyone can step up to challenge the rule of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. The two enter 2026 having compiled 23,550 rankings points over the past year, a higher point total than what players No. 3 through 7 earned combined. They met in three of four Slam finals in 2025, and they've combined to win eight consecutive Slam titles."
Naomi Osaka climbed from 57th to 16th during 2025, Belinda Bencic from 487th to 11th, Victoria Mboko from 336th to 18th, and Amanda Anisimova from 36th to fourth. On the men's side Felix Auger-Aliassime rose from 29th to fifth, Joao Fonseca from 145th to 24th and Learner Tien from 122nd to 28th. The top-ranked players remained relatively stable while much of the rest of the rankings shifted. The Australian Open begins soon. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner combined for 23,550 ranking points last year, met in three of four Slam finals and won eight consecutive Slams.
Read at ESPN.com
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