Monte Carlo Masters: Carlos Alcaraz asked who is the favourite ahead of final against Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz has a dominant lead over Jannik Sinner in their head-to-head rivalry so will he start the Monte Carlo Masters final against Jannik Sinner as the favourite?
The top two players in the ATP Rankings are set for Episode 17 of their incredible rivalry, but interestingly it will be their first meeting of the 2026 campaign following six encounters in 2025.
Alcaraz won four of their six meetings last year, including the French Open and US Open finals, and he holds a 10-6 lead in the H2H, but Sinner won their most recent match, which was the showpiece match at the ATP Finals last November as he won in straight sets.
So who is the favourite for Sunday’s match on the clay in Monte Carlo?
“I think he himself said that clay isn’t his favourite surface. His style, I’d say, adapts better to other surfaces,” he said.
“But the level he plays at on clay is very high. The fact that you play better on hard courts or grass doesn’t mean you play badly on clay.
“I’d say I feel more comfortable on clay because of my style of play. But we’ll see. I can lose to him on any surface, in any tournament.
“I know I have to be ready and play my best tennis if I want to beat him. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. Whether I feel like a favourite or not… I’d say there’s never a favourite against him. It depends on who plays better that day. I’m very curious to see who will be the best tomorrow .”
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The seven-time Grand Slam winner has won three of their four matches on clay with the last one the 2025 final at Roland Garros when he saved three match points to defeat his great rival in five sets.
The Spaniard also won their Italian Open final last year and their 2024 semi-final at the French Open while Sinner’s only win came in the 2022 Umag final.
Alcaraz added: “A true champion is someone who can play well on any surface.”
And they will not only battle it out for the Monte Carlo Masters trophy, but also the world No 1 ranking as it will be a winner-takes-all clash.
The pair have dominated men’s tennis the past few years as they have won the last nine Grand Slams and also topped the rankings with no one else getting a look in.
“Not really, it’s not something we talk about much [their dominance]. But there are players who joke about it,” he said.
“I just try to do my best in every match and every tournament, and I’d say Jannik does the same. I’m happy to see us play so well in every tournament. Our consistency is truly remarkable.
“Every time we play against each other, we raise the bar to the highest level. I’d say that, in a way, people always expect us to meet in every tournament.
“But we’re not superheroes and we won’t win every match. This is the first meeting of 2026, so it means we’ve lost in other tournaments before.
“I also see other players getting close to our level, so we’ll see how it goes. Personally, I’m happy because every time I lose, or when Jannik loses, we learn from that defeat and come back to the next tournament even stronger. These stats just make me feel good .”
Sinner, who beat Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the final, did his press conference before Alcaraz completed his victory over Valentin Vacherot.
“If it’s Carlos, let’s say ‘if’, it would be good for me to play against him at least once before Paris, to see where my level is on this surface and what we need to work on,” he said.
“I hope he gives me good feedback. In any case, win or lose, it will be a good reference point on what we need to improve.”
