Jannik Sinner said he misses his fierce rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz. The two have met 16 times since 2021, with Alcaraz holding a 10-6 lead in their head-to-head. However, Sinner and Alcaraz haven’t met in nearly five months, with their last clash coming last November in the ATP Finals title match.
Both players are currently competing at the Monte Carlo Masters, marking the start of the clay court season for many of the game’s top stars. But as the two best players in the world, they can only meet in the final. Sinner also praised Alcaraz, saying the Spaniard pushes him to work hard for every point.
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“Yes, I miss it. He is a player who pushes me to my limits. But we both know that if we want to face each other, we both have to reach the final and the road to it is really hard,” Sinner said in Monte Carlo.
Jannik Sinner on not yet facing Carlos Alcaraz this year:
“Yes, I miss it. He is a player who pushes me to my limits. But we both know that if we want to face each other, we both have to reach the final and the road to it is really hard.” pic.twitter.com/iVmqMq3MTR— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) April 6, 2026
CAN JANNIK SINNER GET THE #1 SPOT?
Sinner also has a chance to claim world number one during the tournament. If he wins the title in Monte Carlo, the Italian will be guaranteed a return to the top spot regardless of how Alcaraz fares.
Even a semi-final finish would be enough for Sinner, provided Alcaraz retires before the quarter-finals. If Sinner makes it to the finals and Alcaraz doesn’t do the same, he’ll move back to #1 as well. In all other scenarios, Alcaraz will retain the top rating after the tournament.
After completing the Sunshine Double with titles in Indian Wells and Miami, Sinner fell just 190 points behind the Spaniard in the rankings. The Italian has no points to defend at the Monte Carlo Masters, having missed the tournament last season.
However, Alcaraz will be under pressure as the defending champion and will need to protect 1,000 ranking points in Monte Carlo.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
07 Apr 2026 15:13 IST
