On Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will meet in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters, and it’s up to the world number one. Over the course of their rivalry, almost nothing separated them. Through 16 meetings, Alcaraz and Sinner have each scored 1,651 points, a statistical joke that underscores how close they’ve been every time they step onto the court.
Alcaraz leads the head-to-head 10-6, but this will be their ninth final, another indication of how consistently they have occupied the same space at the top of the sport. Both are going for their 27th career title.
For the first time this season, they reach the same point in the tournament.
Alcaraz, the defending champion, secured his place in the final with a straight sets win over Valentin Vacherot. He broke early in the opening set and closed it out with an ace before hitting a short shift in the second.
Supported by the home crowd and after victories over Lorenzo Musetti, Hubert Hurkacz and Alex de Minaur, Vacherot went 4-3 up in the second set. Alcaraz responded by winning three straight games to seal a 6-4, 6-4 win.
The result made Alcaraz only the third player to reach 10 ATP Masters 1000 finals before turning 23, joining Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
“I think it’s everybody’s dream place,” Alcaraz said. “I’m fighting for my second title in Monte Carlo; Jannik is fighting for his first. The world number one is next. That makes it even more special.”
On the other hand, Sinner’s run was more direct.
The Italian defeated Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-4 in the semi-finals, taking control early and holding the match throughout the match. He stormed through the opening set with a double break and closed the match at 4:4 after a tighter second set.
The result capped another strong stretch in his season.
Sinner has already won Indian Wells and Miami, becoming only the fourth player to reach the finals of the first three Masters events of the year, joining Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
“I’m very, very happy,” Sinner said. “I felt really solid from the start. When you break up right away, it changes the dynamic of the match.”
If Alcaraz had to adjust during the games this week, Sinner imposed himself early and rarely let go.
Their rivalry is one of the most compelling among the younger generation in tennis. Since the era of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the sport has once again found a duopoly that has the makings to define this phase.
Matches between the pair were rarely straightforward. Carlos Alcaraz’s ability to stay in contests and Jannik Sinner’s consistency from the baseline made their meetings very competitive.
This is reflected not only in mutual duels, but also in the balance of their numbers. This balance will be tested again on Sunday. If Sinner wins, he will return to world number one. If Alcaraz wins, he stays there.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
12 Apr 2026 10:11 IST
