You can have won three of the last four Grand Slams and no longer look down on the competition from the top of Olympus. After Indian Wells and Miami this season, Jannik Sinner won the Monte-Carlo Masters 1000 on Sunday by beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final, dethroning the Spaniard from his place as world number 1.
The 24-year-old Italian won 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in 2h15 against the defending champion for their first confrontation since the start of the season. He won his 7th victory against the 22-year-old Murcian, who has 10.
Sinner also has a 17th consecutive success since he achieved the “Sunshine Double” by winning the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells (California) and Miami (Florida). The series reaches 22 victories in a row in tournaments in this category thanks to its title in Paris last fall.
It was after his Parisian coronation that he took back the place of world No.1 from Alcaraz before returning it to him a few days later at the opening of the Turin Masters in mid-November, where the Italian beat him in the final. They hadn’t faced each other since.
It was therefore in the Principality that the most anticipated event on the circuit took place, for the first major tournament of the year on clay. The last time the two players faced each other on ocher dates back to their legendary final last year at Roland Garros, when Alcaraz, despite having three match points against him, overthrew the Italian in five sets and 5h29 of play.
The first set was very close between Sinner and Alcaraz, hampered by the irregular gusts which blew on the Rainier-III court.
The Spaniard broke the first to lead 2 games to 0 before being taken by the throat by Sinner in the next game, very aggressive on the return while Alcaraz narrowly missed on his first ball.
The Italian then had to fight to win the tie-break, the 16th between the two men, which he snatched thanks to a double fault (the 3rd of the set) from Alcaraz after 1h14.
Annoyed, Alcaraz broke from the start in a weak time from Sinner. But too many unforced errors (45) and his serving difficulties (5 double faults) cost him the match.
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