PARIS: Jannik Sinner said Tuesday that he had come to terms with finishing the season behind rival Carlos Alcaraz in the rankings.
The Italian world number two lost top spot in the standings when he fell to the Spaniard in the final of the US Open in September -- after having held it for 65 weeks.
"It's impossible (to finish the year at No. 1). Honestly, I'm not thinking about this at the moment. It's going to be a goal for next year," Sinner told reporters ahead of his opening match at the Paris Masters.
Trailing the Spaniard by less than 1,000 points, Sinner could theoretically overtake Alcaraz if he wins the Paris Masters and his rival fails to reach the last four.
But he will then have to defend 1,500 points at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin -- which he won in 2024 -- whereas his rival was eliminated in the group stage and has few points to lose.
"This year it's not in my hands," Sinner simply added.
He comes into the event in the French capital on good form after winning the Vienna Open on Sunday.
But the long season has taken its toll on the 24-year-old.
He retired after suffering from cramps at the Shanghai Masters earlier in October and experienced problems with his thigh in the Austrian capital.
"It was not the same issue at all (in Vienna)," Sinner revealed.
"I feel like (it) was normal. You know, I played five days in a row. The final was very physical. It can happen."
The four-time Grand Slam champion said he was "not worried physically" ahead of his opening match in Paris on Wednesday against Belgium's Zizou Bergs.
"The body feels good now. A bit tired, of course, playing five matches in a row and coming here is not much time to recover," he said.
"But I'm happy how I'm feeling. I recover every day better."