- Van Graan has 'utmost respect' for Du Toit as Bath go top of Premiership
- Report details fossil fuel threat to 'Amazon of the seas'
- Michelle Obama to boost Harris, as Trump rages against migrants
- Catholic Church assembly acknowledges 'obstacles' for women
- 'Too early' to say Leverkusen out of title race: Alonso
- World champion Malinin grabs men's lead at Skate Canada
- Farrell 'sorry' for second Top 14 yellow in Racing win
- Ruling party set to win Georgian elections
- Piastri, Norris set Mexico practice pace as Verstappen struggles
- Lewis century gifts West Indies consolation victory in Sri Lanka
- Guardiola vows to learn from rock-bottom Southampton after tight win
- Rooney 'angry' despite stunning Plymouth fightback in Preston draw
- Opposition, ruling party both shown ahead in Georgia elections
- Venezuelan prosecutor accuses Lula of faking injury as tensions with Brazil rise
- Draper into Vienna ATP final, ensures career-high ranking
- Farrell opens Top 14 try account in Racing victory, ends game in sin-bin
- Opposition tipped to win narrow majority in Georgia election: exit poll
- Haaland fires Man City to top of Premier League, Villa held
- West Indies set 195 to win rain-hit Sri Lanka ODI
- Leipzig beat Freiburg to go top, Dortmund lose away again
- Shelton downs friend Fils to reach Basel final
- Di Lorenzo fires Napoli past Lecce and five points clear
- Hussain says Pakistan have found 'kryptonite to Bazball' with England series win
- Seven dead in overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine
- Tehran presses on, uneasy after Israeli strikes
- Masood says Pakistan need stability after famous England win
- Iran warns will defend itself after Israeli strikes
- N.Korea involvement in Ukraine raises regional security risks: analysts
- Santner heroics seal historic New Zealand Test series win in India
- Brignone wins ski World Cup opener as Shiffrin flops
- Thitikul surges into three-way lead at LPGA in Malaysia
- Israel hits Iran military sites in retaliatory strikes
- Santner heroics seal New Zealand's first Test series win in India
- Activists say 50 killed in Sudan paramilitary attack
- Stokes says Pakistan spin duo just too good after series defeat
- Zheng to face injury doubt Kenin in Tokyo final
- Final-hole eagle puts Echavarria in driving seat in Japan
- Commonwealth agrees 'time has come' for talks on legacy of slavery
- Late Love helps All Blacks thrash Jones's plucky Japan
- Bastianini wins Thai MotoGP sprint race ahead of Martin
- New Zealand near historic Test win as India wilt in chase
- Tehran residents fear escalation after Israeli attacks
- Iran says two dead in Israeli strikes on military targets
- Pakistan thrash England to win series after Noman, Sajid heroics
- Harris, Trump barnstorm battlegrounds seeking to break deadlock
- Pakistan on brink of series win as Noman, Sajid destroy England
- India 81-1 in fight to deny New Zealand historic series win
- Georgia votes in key test for democracy, EU ambitions
- New Zealand sniff historic win as India set 359 to win Test
- End of golden era for Chinese investors in Bordeaux wine
Sinner plays down Djokovic, Alcaraz comparisons
Jannik Sinner on Tuesday dismissed the idea that he is the best player in the world right now, saying he should not be compared to his fellow top-three rivals, Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz.
The Italian world number two can come within touching distance of the top-ranked Djokovic in the standings should he triumph in Madrid this fortnight and he arrives in the Spanish capital brimming with confidence and carrying an impressive 25-2 win-loss record for the season.
The reigning Australian Open champion, who owns a tour-leading three titles in 2024, is ranked number one in the ATP's Race to Turin, and is 1,650 points ahead of second-placed Daniil Medvedev.
"I think it's a tough question to answer. We always see only this moment and I think that sometimes it's good but also not good," the 22-year-old Sinner told reporters in Madrid.
"I still believe that you cannot compare myself with Novak with all that he has done. And the same goes for Carlos. Also Carlos won more than me.
"I have a lot of respect for both of them. I just try to play my game, trying to understand what works best for me and then we see what I can achieve."
Sinner has never made it past the third round in either of his previous two appearances at the Caja Magica and will be looking to change that this time around.
In the absence of Djokovic, who has pulled out of the tournament, Sinner is the top seed in Madrid, where he faces Richard Gasquet or Lorenzo Sonego in the second round.
"I used to struggle quite a lot in the previous years, finding my level here, so it's going to be interesting to see how I'm going to play this year," he added.
- Alcaraz back from injury -
Meanwhile, Alcaraz had no qualms describing Sinner as the game's best and the Spanish world number three acknowledges it will be tough trying to stop his good friend and rival from taking over the top spot in the rankings.
"He's dangerous, he's really dangerous. He's the best player in the world right now," said Alcaraz, who is the two-time defending champion in Madrid.
"Probably everybody thinks that his tennis doesn't suit very much clay but he makes good results on clay as well, he can win every tournament he goes to, and I'm fighting with him, with Novak, to be in the first spot and I'm trying not to let them stay there.
"Honestly it's going to be difficult. They deserve to be there and let's see what's going to happen the next tournaments."
The 20-year-old Alcaraz is coming off a right arm injury that forced him to skip the tournaments in Monte Carlo and Barcelona.
He said he managed to increase the intensity of his training since his arrival in Madrid and is hoping to be 100 percent ready for his opener on Saturday against Arthur Rinderknech or Alexander Shevchenko.
On the eve of the tournament, Alcaraz attended the Laureus World Sports Awards and presented Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham with the Breakthrough of the Year award, giving an impressive speech, in English, in front of a marquee audience.
"I didn't feel comfortable on the stage. I was so nervous. I practised that speech during the week almost 50 times just to make sure it's going to be perfect and I was shaking, my legs were shaking. I'm not used to giving a speech in front of legends of the sports and in front of that kind of people," confessed Alcaraz.
Elsewhere, world number four Medvedev is hoping to avoid another on-court tantrum if faced with questionable officiating after his fiery reaction to disputed calls in Monte Carlo made headlines.
While most big tournaments have adopted electronic line-calling, many clay events still use line judges, given the mark of the ball should be easy to see on the red dirt.
Monte Carlo witnessed numerous issues with officiating though, and Medvedev is aware he has to find a way to control his temper throughout the clay season.
"Mistakes can happen. I wish I hadn't reacted like this, so let's see if next time it happens, I cannot promise anything, but hopefully I can focus more on the match than on the mistake itself," said the 28-year-old Russian.
P.Stevenson--AMWN