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The Italian now controls his own destiny, guaranteed to return top spot in the ATP Rankings on Tuesday should he win the ATP Masters 1000 title, played for the first time this year at La Défense Arena.

Sinner’s debut 65-week reign as World No. 1 ended after the US Open, where his defeat to Alcaraz in the final saw the six-time Grand Slam champion return to No. 1.

Should Sinner win the Paris title for the first time, he will return to World No. 1 for just one week before handing it back to Alcaraz ahead of the ATP Finals, where he will drop the 1500 points earned by winning last year’s season finale on home soil.

Alcaraz’s unexpected defeat to Norrie – which ended his 17-match winning streak at Masters 1000 events – will also have a major impact on the battle for ATP Year-End No.1 honours should Sinner close out the season by winning Paris and successfully defending Turin.

If Sinner wins Paris, he will claw to within 1,050 points of the Spaniard in the ATP Live Race to Turin. With neither player scheduled to compete the week before the season finale, should Sinner then emerge an undefeated champion at the Inalpi Arena for the second consecutive year, Alcaraz would need to pick up 450 points at the  ATP Finals to end the year No. 1.

Under that scenario, Alcaraz would need to reach the final with at least one group stage win or go undefeated in group stage play. 

Sinner, who won his 22nd title Sunday in Vienna, begins his quest for his first Paris crown on Thursday against Belgium’s Zizou Bergs.