ATP Race Update: Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Bublik lead as Alcaraz and Sinner remain low in early standings

The ATP Race to Turin was updated with the start of the Australian Open – after the first two weeks of competition – and it currently features an unexpected tie at the top. Former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev is level on points with the talented Kazakh Alexander Bublik, with both already crowned ATP title winners this season and both through to the third round of the Australian Open.

Medvedev began the year with a perfect campaign and now holds a 7–0 record in 2026. He claimed the ATP 250 title at the Brisbane International two weeks ago, defeating Brandon Nakashima in the final. Bublik, meanwhile, lifted the trophy at the Hong Kong Open after beating Lorenzo Musetti in the final. Both have taken advantage of their status as favourites and will play their third-round matches in the coming days, with the possibility of reaching the second week in Melbourne without yet facing a seeded opponent.

It is worth remembering that the ATP Race only counts points earned during the 2026 season – from the start of the calendar year – which offers a clearer picture of players’ current form on tour, unlike the ATP Rankings, which reflect results from the last 52 weeks. The Race will also determine, at the end of the year, the eight players who qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin, as well as the year-end rankings for the rest of the field.

The top five features the players in the best form at the start of the season, with several taking advantage of the United Cup to accumulate points early on. Czech youngster Jakub Mensik managed just one win from three matches at the United Cup, but bounced back with a flawless run in Auckland, defeating Sebastian Baez in the final and moving into third place in the ATP Race.

Just behind him sits the Argentine runner-up in Auckland. Baez has enjoyed a remarkable start to the season, recording three consecutive wins at the United Cup and a total of eight victories from nine matches played so far in 2026, with the only exception being his defeat to Mensik in the Auckland final.

A little further back is Hubert Hurkacz, who has already accumulated 315 points following a strong showing at the United Cup, where he recorded four wins and just one loss. The Polish former top-10 player has made a notable start to the season after missing close to seven months of competition in 2025 due to injuries and surgery. In 2026, he has quickly shown a good level and will need to continue adding points to gradually climb back toward the elite positions.

Not far behind is Tomas Machac, who sits on 300 points, just 50 points behind joint leaders Medvedev and Bublik. The 25-year-old Czech was another player to arrive in Melbourne with a title under his belt, having won the Adelaide International with a victory over Ugo Humbert in the final. He has already secured his place in the second round of the Australian Open after defeating Grigor Dimitrov in his opening match.

The rest of the top 10 includes several players who have been established among the elite for months, along with a few surprises. Lorenzo Musetti has climbed to seventh place after reaching the final of the Hong Kong Open, while Marcos Giron occupies eighth spot following semifinal runs in both Hong Kong and Auckland. The American is the only top-15 player who has already been eliminated from the Australian Open.

Further back there is a large tie involving Andrey Rublev, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Tommy Paul, Fabian Marozsan and Rinky Hijikata – all on 200 points midway through their Australian Open campaigns. Of that group, only Hijikata has yet to play his second-round match, while the rest have already booked their places in the third round.

Meanwhile, some of the biggest names on the Tour still remain in low positions due to the limited amount of match play they have had so far. Carlos Alcaraz sits only at No. 53, considering that he has played just two official matches this year, both at the Australian Open. Ben Shelton follows at No. 56, while Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner are positioned as low as No. 123, reflecting the fact that each has played only a single official match so far in their respective Australian Open opening-round victories.