ATP RANKINGS BREAKDOWN: WHERE THE TOP-20 AND AUSSIES SIT ONE MONTH OUT FROM ROLAND-GARROS

Alex de Minaur will arrive at the French Open as Australia's top-seeded male. (Getty/Pedro Salado)

With two Masters 1000 tournaments on the horizon before the French Open, The First Serve breaks down who has a big month ahead, who has a free hit among the top-20 players in the ATP rankings, and Australia’s best 10 men’s players.

Ben Shelton and Arthur Fils are potential risers to watch out for if they can maintain their strong starts to 2025, while there is pressure on Andrey Rublev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas will be desperate to climb back into the top-10.

Jannik Sinner: 9930 points

Defending: 200 points

Jannik Sinner will return to competition in a fortnight at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia Masters 1000 event in his native country. Having won 21 consecutive matches before his suspension, Sinner still has a stranglehold on the No.1 spot.

Alexander Zverev: 8085 points

Defending: 1100 points

Coming off a Munich Open title in his native Germany, Zverev has a big month ahead, defending 1100 points thanks mostly to his Masters 1000 triumph in Rome last year. He will then attempt to defend 1300 points at the French Open after reaching the final last year. After going 6-5 following his Australian Open final, the three-time major finalist will be hoping to build off last week’s momentum.

Carlos Alcaraz: 8050 points

Defending: 200 points

No one has won more ATP matches than Alcaraz in 2025. The Spaniard is defending just 200 points across the next month, with Madrid his only lead-in tournament to Roland Garros last year. He is well-positioned to slide back up to No.2 in the rankings given Zverev’s strong form this time last year.

Taylor Fritz: 5115 points

Defending: 600 points

Reached the semis and quarters at Madrid and Rome respectively last year, so will need to bank some wins. Clay has been Fritz’s least productive surface in his career, with the American yet to reach a tour-level final on the surface, on which he has his poorest win-loss record.

Novak Djokovic: 4120 points

Defending: 550 points

It’s been a leaner year for Djokovic, albeit he still has a Masters 1000 final and Australian Open semi-final run under his belt. He will have the opportunity to make up some ground in the next month as he seeks his 100th ATP title, having gone 6-3 in this period last year.

Jack Draper: 3820 points

Defending: 80 points

The Brit has gone 1-2 since his triumphant Indian Wells run last month, but secured just one win across Madrid, Rome and Geneva last year, so he has a chance to close the gap on the top-five, but would need to break new ground. He has only once won multiple matches at a clay event at tour-level and never done it on the Challenger circuit.

Alex De Minaur: 3585 points

Defending: 110 points

Only Carlos Alcaraz has won more matches in 2025 than de Minaur’s 20, but there is still a sense that he has missed some opportunities to put himself among the sport’s very best. Positively, he is defending just 110 points across the next month, and while clay is traditionally his weakest surface, he showed signs of progress in Barcelona.

Andrey Rublev: 3530 points

Defending: 1010 points

The inconsistent Russian has endured a poor start to the year on either side of his Doha Open title, but will hope his favoured surface can deliver better results. He took out the Madrid Open last year, so he faces a rankings slide if he can’t turn his form around.

Holger Rune: 3480 points

Defending: 100 points

Rose four spots with his impressive Barcelona title and is every chance of rising further in the coming weeks, given his quiet lead-in to Roland-Garros in 2024.

Daniil Medvedev: 3290 points

Defending: 300 points

His 2023 Rome triumph remains Medvedev’s most recent title, but it is also his only title on clay and one of just two finals. While he seemed to have turned a corner two years ago, he still struggles against the very best on the red dirt, which was highlighted by a loss to de Minaur at Monte Carlo.

Lorenzo Musetti: 3200 points

Defending: 190 points

The Monte Carlo finalist will be looking to keep his momentum rolling after withdrawing from Barcelona. Highlighting his rise, Musetti was competing on the Challenger tour 12 months ago, and while he made a pair of finals, he has a great chance to cash in and reach the top-10 for the first time in his career.

Tommy Paul: 3160 points

Defending: 450 points

A potential danger period is coming up for Paul as he looks to stay in touch with the top-10, with the American reaching the semis in Rome – the furthest he’s progressed in a tour-level clay tournament.

Ben Shelton: 3020 points

Defending: 100 points

The exuberant American improved his status as a claycourt player by reaching the Bavarian International final, continuing his strong year. He is knocking on the door of the top-10, and he has a chance of reaching that uncharted territory ahead of the next major.

Arthur Fils: 2920 points

Defending: 195 points

The big-hitting Frenchman has had a month of consistent form, highlighted by victories over Alexander Zverev and Andrey Rublev, but hasn’t reached a final. Two of his three titles have come on clay, and there’s every chance he reaches his maiden Masters final before Roland-Garros.

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Casper Ruud: 2815 points

Defending: 360 points

Had a strong claycourt swing last year and has so far failed to back it up. Dropped three places after winning just one match at the Monte Carlo Masters, a tournament he reached the final of last year, and then slid a further five spots by failing to defend his Barcelona title. The two-time French Open runner-up is looking to earn points across the Masters events to relieve the pressure of defending his Geneva title in 2024.

Grigor Dimitrov: 2595 points

Defending: 110 points

The experienced Bulgarian has swept aside lower-ranked opponents easily enough this year, but has struggled against all of Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Alex de Minaur. He will hope to bridge that gap against the best ahead of Roland-Garros.

Frances Tiafoe: 2550 points

Defending: 45 points

Went 1-4 in the lead-in to last year’s French Open, so doesn’t need to do too much to earn a small rankings boost, but he’s always struggled to perform at both Madrid and Rome, winning just two of his last 11 matches across both tournaments.

Stefanos Tsitsipas: 2415 points

Defending: 210 points

Plummeted eight spots in the world rankings after being unable to defend his Monte Carlo crown a fortnight ago. It’s the lowest Tsitsipas has sat since July 2018, and he’s also defending a quarter-final appearance at Rome last year. The 26-year-old is still playing solid tennis in between some surprise losses, so look for him to turn his fortunes around.

Felix Auger-Aliassime: 2375 points

Defending: 650 points

After a fine start to 2025, Auger-Aliassime has won one of his last five matches, but will need to arrest the slump. Faces a big month after finding his way into last year’s Madrid Open final, due in large part to two retirements and a walkover.

Tomáš Macháč: 2235 points

Defending: 195 points

The Acapulco champion will need to bank a few wins to continue his steady rise after reaching the Geneva Open final last year.

Australians:

Alexei Popyrin

Rank: 26

Points: 1860

Defending: 20 points

Jordan Thompson

Rank: 40

Points: 1365

Defending: 20 points

Aleksandar Vukic

Rank: 83

Points: 758

Defending: 65 points

Rinky Hijikata

Ranking: 84

Points: 754

Defending: 10 points

Adam Walton

Ranking: 86

Points: 749

Defending: 131 points

Christopher O’Connell

Ranking: 87

Points: 745

Defending: 20 points

James Duckworth

Ranking: 89

Points: 690

Defending: 78 points

Thanasi Kokkinakis (injured)

Ranking: 106

Points: 573

Defending: 55 points

Tristan Schoolkate

Ranking: 122

Points: 484

Defending: 93 points

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