Sinner beats Alcaraz in Monte Carlo final, reclaims No. 1

Alcaraz Turns to Barcelona Open After Losing Monte Carlo Final to Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz’s bid to defend his Monte Carlo Masters title ended Sunday as Jannik Sinner defeated the Spaniard 7-6(5), 6-3 in the final, reclaiming the world No. 1 ranking in the process. Alcaraz now shifts his attention to the Barcelona Open, where he is the top seed and main draw play begins Monday.straitstimes

Sinner Reclaims the Throne in Monaco

The Monte Carlo final carried stakes beyond the trophy. Both men entered having spent exactly 66 weeks at No. 1 in their careers, and the winner would break the tie. Sinner edged ahead in a tight first-set tiebreak before pulling away in the second set to clinch his first Masters 1000 title on clay. The victory extended his winning streak to four consecutive Masters crowns — following Paris, Indian Wells, and Miami — a run matched in the modern era only by Novak Djokovic.tennismajors

Alcaraz, who had dropped just three games in a quarterfinal demolition of Alexander Bublik on Friday and dispatched local favorite Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-4 in Saturday’s semifinal, was unable to sustain that form against Sinner. The loss snapped his 22-week reign atop the rankings, with Sinner now holding 13,350 points to Alcaraz’s 13,240, according to Yahoo Sports.atptour

Barcelona Beckons

Alcaraz will have little time to dwell on the defeat. The 2026 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, an ATP 500 event, runs April 13-19 at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona. Alcaraz is the top seed and will be chasing a third Barcelona title after winning in 2022 and 2024. Last year, Holger Rune stunned him 7-6(6), 6-2 in the final to deny him a three-peat.atptour

The Spaniard told reporters before the clay swing that he planned to play Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome ahead of his Roland Garros title defense. “Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Madrid, and Rome, that’s the plan,” he said, adding that it “feels amazing” to be back on clay.philstar

A Long Clay Season Ahead

Alcaraz’s early-season form has been strong despite an ankle scare at Indian Wells in March, when he twisted his ankle during a match against Arthur Rinderknech but managed to finish and continue in the tournament. His entry list at Barcelona includes Lorenzo Musetti, Alex de Minaur, Félix Auger-Aliassime, Casper Ruud, and Jack Draper, though Djokovic and Sinner are absent from the draw. With the No. 1 ranking now back in Sinner’s hands, every match on clay carries added weight as Alcaraz looks to reclaim the top spot before Paris.tennisuptodate