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Jannik Sinner won the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000, defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the final with a score of 7-6, 6-3. This historic success marks the Italian’s first major career title on clay, which came at the end of a challenge that lasted over two and a quarter hours.
Thanks to this victory, Sinner regained the top of the ATP ranking and pulled off an unprecedented feat, winning his fourth consecutive Masters 1000 after triumphs in Paris, Indian Wells and Miami.
The first set was a gruelling one-hour and 14-minute battle, made complex by strong gusts of wind that affected the play of both finalists. In a partial set characterised by continuous breaks and counter-breaks, the balance was only resolved at the tie-break: Sinner raised the level of his serve at the crucial moment, taking advantage of a double fault by Alcaraz on the second set point to close the fraction and shift the momentum of the match in his favour.
The start of the second set also saw the two champions confront each other on equal terms, with the Spaniard initially able to move ahead by a break. Sinner’s reaction was not long in coming: the Italian took control of the exchanges, racking up a partial series of five consecutive games.
His management of delicate moments and a better ability to adapt to the weather conditions put Alcaraz on the ropes. The break obtained in the final stages definitively paved the way for the South Tyrolean player, who then sealed the match without hesitation on serve.
Sinner: Number 1 important, but ranking is secondary
The triumph in the Principality not only reaffirms Sinner’s leadership in world tennis, but also confirms his newfound effectiveness on clay, a surface on which he has not beaten his Spanish rival since the final in Umag in 2022.
“I wouldn’t know how to comment on this week. Today we saw very high level tennis from both of us, despite the wind that kept changing,” said Sinner shortly after the match and added: “The return to number 1 is important, but the ranking is secondary. I am happy to have finally won an important tournament on this surface.