Italy’s Jannik Sinner dethroned defending champion Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(5) 6-3 in the final in Monte Carlo on Sunday to claim his first Masters title on clay and reclaim the world number one ranking from the Spaniard.
The victory capped a remarkable run for Sinner, who became only the second player to win the ‘Sunshine Double’ and Monte Carlo in the same season – a feat previously achieved only by Novak Djokovic in 2015.
It marked Sinner’s fourth consecutive Masters 1000 title, following triumphs in Paris, Indian Wells and Miami and his eighth Masters title overall.
“We just came here to try to get as many matches as possible before the next big tournaments come. Today was a very high level from both of us,” Sinner said in an on-court interview.
“It was a bit windy, windy – completely different conditions than the tournament has brought to date.
“The result (is) amazing, coming back to number one means a lot to me. At the same time, as I always say, the ranking is secondary. I am very happy to have won at least one big trophy on this surface.”
The pair last met almost five months ago, when Sinner defeated Alcaraz in the ATP Finals title clash, and fans were eagerly anticipating the next chapter of the ‘Sincaraz’ rivalry.
COMBAT IN BOUSTRO CONDITIONS
Playing in blustery conditions, both players initially struggled as they traded breaks until Alcaraz found his groove first and unleashed a winner through Sinner, catching the Italian wrong-footed on the baseline on several occasions.
Alcaraz also used a masked drop shot to catch Sinner off guard, but breaking the submission proved elusive for both as they battled the wind.
Sinner was made to work hard as he trailed at 6-5 but held his nerve to force a tiebreak where his first serve proved decisive.
Alcaraz struck early in the second set to consolidate a break for a 3-1 lead with some impressive returns that brought the fans to their feet.
However, Sinner found his second wind and reeled off four straight games to turn the match on its head and serve for the title.
Sinner made no mistake on serve and as Alcaraz made a mistake on the championship point, the Italian celebrated the biggest clay title of his career before embracing his rival at the net.
“It’s impressive what you’re accomplishing right now … Only one man in the Open Era has won the Sunshine Double and then the Monte Carlo and you’re the second man to do that,” Alcaraz said.
“It’s something incredible and I’ve just experienced how hard it is to make it happen. So congratulations on everything, the work you’re doing with your team.”
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Issued by:
Amar Panicker
Published on:
12 Apr 2026 22:55 IST
