We have added up the points of the top 100 players in the ATP rankings divided by nationality. Italy is ahead of everyone, with Spain in third place

The golden age of Italian tennis lies in emotions, in that magical symbiosis between the 13,000 spectators at the Inalpi Arena and the hero they have been waiting for all their lives. And it lies in the numbers: cold, rational, irrefutable. There is a high-level movement surrounding Jannik Sinner: the good fortune of having a champion never before admired in these parts should be seen as the just reward for the work carried out by the federation, clubs, and private teams over the last twenty years. In the aftermath of his second triumph in Turin, the ATP rankings place Italy at the top of the world. Using the points accumulated by players in the top 100 as a parameter—a measure that takes into account both excellence and the depth of the pool of professionals—our country reached 23,732 points, overtaking the United States (23,074) in the last week. Completing the podium, at a distance, is Spain with Carlos Alcaraz (18,099). Next come France (14,023) and, further behind with between 7,631 and 7,019 points, Argentina, Russia, Australia, Serbia, Canada, and Germany. The year-end ranking is the seal on a fairytale 2025. We can boast one of the “Big Two,” who, without the three-month suspension for the Clostebol case, would have finished the season in the lead (Alcaraz, 550 points ahead, played four more tournaments). And we welcome a second Italian among the top ten in the world: Lorenzo Musetti, capable of performing on clay at the level of the top 3-4.
It is no coincidence that in June, the Carrarese player reached sixth position. The Finals were decisive in overtaking the American giant: Jannik, with 1,500 points from his victory, created a gap of 7,365 points between himself and Taylor Fritz, No. 6 and the top American player.
Lorenzo, with his first career qualification and 200 points from his victory in the group stage against De Minaur, knocked Ben Shelton, No. 9 and second American, out of eighth place. Of course, the US – one of the historic powers in tennis – has 15 players in the top 100 of the rankings. But Italy, with less than a fifth of their population, has nine, including four in the top 30. This year, Flavio Cobolli and Luciano Darderi achieved their best rankings: 17th (now 22nd) and 26th, respectively. Speaking of Darderi, Sinner’s reflection a few days ago is emblematic: “We can afford not to call up the world number 26, Darderi, because we have Cobolli, Musetti, and many others. And we have an incredible doubles team (Bolelli/Vavassori, seventh in the world, ed.).” While Lorenzo Sonego ended the tour on a high note (39th), earning himself a call-up to the national team, former top ten player Matteo Berrettini was held back by physical problems. Otherwise, we would have found him much higher than the 56th position he occupies today. Rounding out the picture are Matteo Arnaldi, 63rd, expected to bounce back after climbing to 30th place in 2024, Mattia Bellucci, 74th, and Luca Nardi, 87th. The latter two improved their personal bests during the year (63rd and 67th place). Another striking fact: apart from the ‘veterans’ Sonego and Berrettini, all the others are between 22 and 24 years old. The present, but also the future, is colored blue. And the new recruits are cutting their teeth on the minor circuits: Cinà (18) and Vasamì (17) are the most promising.

Titles —  The proof of this plurality of protagonists lies in the trophy cabinet. In the last season, Italian tennis players won 11 ATP titles. Sinner, of course, took home the most prestigious trophies: two Slams (Australian Open and Wimbledon), the Finals, the Masters 1000 in Paris, as well as the 500s in Beijing and Vienna. But Darderi’s three tournament wins (the 250 in Marrakech, Bastad, and Umag) and Cobolli’s double (Hamburg 500, Bucharest 250) also shine. Musetti is expected to make his mark in 2026, having reached three finals this year, in the 1000 in Monte Carlo and the 250 in Chengdu and Athens. One footnote: so far we have talked about the men, but in the pantheon of Italian tennis, a place in the front row belongs to Jasmine Paolini, who has confirmed her place in the top ten for the second consecutive year.