Italy’s Jannik Sinner reacts as he performs towards Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the course of the Monte Carlo ATP Masters Sequence Event last tennis match on Court docket Rainier III on the Monte-Carlo Nation Membership in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, south-eastern France on April 12, 2026.— AFP
Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight units to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the primary time on Sunday and reclaim the world primary rating from his Spanish rival.
Sinner downed Alcaraz 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to seize his third ATP 1000 title of the yr after finishing the “Sunshine Double” final month with victories in Indian Wells and Miami.
The 24-year-old Sinner joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the one third participant to win 4 successive ATP 1000 titles. He additionally triumphed in Paris on the finish of final season.
“We came here trying to get as many matches as possible, getting good feedback before other big tournaments coming up. Today was a high level from both of us,” Sinner mentioned.
“It was a bit windy, a bit breezy. Different conditions from what the tournament has brought. The result is amazing.
“Getting again to No 1 means rather a lot for me… I’m very glad to win an enormous title on this floor, I haven’t achieved it earlier than.”
It was the first meeting between Sinner and Alcaraz since the Italian prevailed at the ATP Finals in November.
Sinner, who is now 7-10 in his career against Alcaraz, will return to the top of the rankings on Monday.
He has won his last 17 matches and becomes the first man since Djokovic in 2015 to win the first three ATP 1000 titles of the season.
“It’s spectacular what you might be attaining proper now,” Alcaraz said to Sinner during the trophy ceremony. “Only one man had received the ‘Sunshine Double’ and Monte Carlo and you’re the second.”
Alcaraz had won his past 17 matches on clay, dating back to last season when he lifted titles in Rome and at Roland Garros.
He admitted Sinner performed better when it mattered most on Sunday.
“I’d say that the essential moments, the details, I didn’t play properly. I feel I had a lot alternatives within the match that I didn’t take,” said Alcaraz.
Alcaraz jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Sinner pushed a forehand long in blustery conditions, but the Italian broke back in the following game as he gradually found his rhythm.
The Spaniard fought off a break point in the fifth game and three more at 4-4, but Sinner’s greater consistency paid off in the tie-break, which he secured when Alcaraz hit a double fault down set point.
‘Dangerous for everybody’
Alcaraz won a sensational rally to break Sinner’s serve early in the second set, but the second seed continued to pile pressure on his opponent and rallied from 3-1 down, taking the last five games to clinch the biggest clay-court title of his career.
“It was an unimaginable week,” said Sinner, pleased with the smooth transition he made from hard courts.
“I’m stunned in an excellent approach. I assume I nonetheless want somewhat little bit of time to grasp what occurred.”
Sinner has hinted he might skip the Madrid Open, where he has no points to defend after missing last year’s tournament while serving a three-month doping ban, to focus on his main goal of winning the French Open.
He held three championship points in an epic 2025 Roland Garros final but was unable to convert as Alcaraz mounted a miraculous comeback — though Sinner looks primed for another title challenge.
“I feel he’s reaching a stage on clay that’s going to be actually harmful for everyone,” said Alcaraz.
Alcaraz will head to Barcelona next week and intends to play a full clay season, health permitting, after injury forced him out of Madrid 12 months ago.
“I hear my physique a lot better than final yr, for positive,” said Alcaraz. “If my physique stays wholesome, I’m going to do no matter it takes to be wholesome and handle my physique. If I don’t have any issues, I’ll play every thing on clay.”
