Unlike his last time participating in the tournament as the No. 1 ATP player, Sinner came to Australia this year with the No. 2 position in the world, behind Carlos Alcaraz.
Although just crowned at the ATP Finals, he was still surpassed by his Spanish opponent in the rankings thanks to the advantage of accumulated points in the final stage of last season.
This means that even if he successfully defends the Australian Open title, Sinner cannot immediately return to the ATP No. 1 position, because he no longer has points to add, while Alcaraz only needs to defend the achievement of reaching the quarterfinals.
However, the player born in 2001 said that the biggest goal in the 2026 season is still to regain the top spot in the ATP rankings.
According to Sinner, this is not a small challenge but completely feasible, especially when he does not have to defend points in the next three months of competition.
That is definitely one of my big goals. This will be very difficult, but I am happy to be back in the game. I only focus on each day, each opponent and try to contribute 100%," Sinner shared before the tournament.
At the Australian Open 2026, Sinner is considered one of the top contenders for the first Grand Slam title of the season. Like many years ago, the Italian tennis player did not participate in any warm-up tournaments, but chose to start the new season directly at Melbourne Park.
Sharing about this decision, Sinner said he always has a special feeling when playing in Australia. “It's great to start the season here.
Australians have a great passion for sports, not only for tennis but also for many other sports. Immersing themselves in that atmosphere always brings a very special feeling," the 24-year-old player said.
Despite lacking competitive matches before the tournament, Sinner believes he will quickly catch up when the Australian Open kicks off.
The reigning two-season champion admits that initial doubts are inevitable, but emphasizes confidence comes from past achievements, as well as anticipation for the cheers of the audience at Melbourne Park.
