Monte Carlo Masters: Carlos Alcaraz makes ‘surprise’ Jannik Sinner admission
The battle for the No 1 spot in the ATP Rankings is set to be decided at the Monte Carlo Masters, but Carlos Alcaraz’s comments about Jannik Sinner suggest he didn’t expect to be a man under pressure this week.
Alcaraz has been at the top of the rankings since last October, but Sinner’s Sunshine Double has helped him to close the gap to the Spaniard and he is now the hot favourite to return to the top after the first clay-court ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year.
The Italian won both the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open, earning 2,000 points in total as he didn’t have any points to defend from the 2025 season
Alcaraz managed to add only 40 points to his total as he defended his 400 points from last year in California and then went one round better in Florida for those 40 points.
As a result, the seven-time Grand Slam winner has seen his massive 3,190-point lead turn into a mere 1,190-point advantage ahead of the clay-court season.
And there is more bad news as Alcaraz is the defending champion in Monte Carlo and he will drop 1,000 points while his rival doesn’t have any points to defend so the lead is effectively just 190 points.
ATP Features
Jannik Sinner set to be crowned as world No 1 – here’s why Carlos Alcaraz can’t stop him
Jannik Sinner looks to conquer the one challenge that has proved to be beyond him
Ahead of the ATP 1000 event in the Principality, Alcaraz admitted that he didn’t expect the world No 2 to play in Monte Carlo following his title runs at the two recent events, perhaps indicating that he didn’t expect a No 1 showdown this week, but he was also full of praise for the Italian.
“Honestly, I was surprised that Jannik, after Indian Wells, Miami, and the whole tour, came to Monte Carlo to play, but obviously that speaks to the great physical condition he’s in right now, what he’s capable of,” he said.
After meeting in six finals during the 2025 season – including three consecutive Grand Slams – Alcaraz and Sinner are yet to face each other so far in 2026.
Alcaraz won titles at the Australian Open and Qatar Open with his rival losing in the semi-finals in Melbourne and the quarter-final in Doha while the Spaniard lost in the semi-final in Indian Wells and the third round in Miami, where Sinner went on to lift the trophies.
They are, of course, on opposite sides of the draw in Monte Carlo so can only meet in the final.
“Hopefully, we can play here in Monte Carlo, who knows, but obviously we haven’t played together yet this year and I hope that happens on this clay court tour,” Alcaraz said.
