MONTE-CARLO. By Leo Canaparo. Director
Jannik Sinner is the new world No. 1. The Italian defeated reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz 7-6, 6-3 on Sunday to claim the Monte-Carlo title, end his rival’s 22-consecutive-week reign at the top of the rankings – and begin one of his own.
But instead, the superstars’ Sunday showdown in the Principality will be their first clash of 2026. Sinner has been in stunning form, winning 16 consecutive matches with the loss of just one set. The Italian enters the final off the back of a flawless performance against World No. 3 Alexander Zverev, to whom he ceded just five games.
This time, the second seed toppled the defending champion at Monte Carlo Masters to claim his first title at this ATP Masters 1000 on clay, defeating Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(5), 6-3 in two hours and 15 minutes. The victory also allows Jannik Sinner to reclaim the World No. 1 ranking from the Spaniard.
Sinner arrived in Monte Carlo riding strong momentum after deep runs on hard courts earlier in the season, and he translated that form seamlessly onto clay this week. Alcaraz, meanwhile, had come in as the defending champion after his dominant run last year, where his aggressive all-court game proved too much for the field. This time, however, the Italian turned the tables with a composed and tactically sharp performance to lift the trophy.
“We came here to try to win as many matches as possible and build good feelings ahead of the big tournaments coming up,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “Today we played at a very high level. There was a bit of wind, some gusts, so the conditions were different compared to previous days. The result is incredible. Getting back to No. 1 means a lot… I’m very happy to win a big title on this surface. I hadn’t done it before, and it means a lot to me.”
It is Sinner’s 67th week at No. 1, breaking a tie that had felt almost symbolic: both men arrived on Court Rainier III having spent exactly 66 weeks there.