Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz in Monte Carlo, will return to world No. 1

Back on top! In the rivals' first head-to-head meeting in 2026, Jannik Sinner defeated defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Sunday.

Sinner's 7-6(5), 6-3 victory didn't just secure him a first clay-court Masters 1000 title. It also earned him:

• His second title on clay ever
• His fourth straight title at this level, running his winning streak at Masters 1000 events to 22 matches
• A return to world No. 1

Sinner will begin his 67th week at world No. 1 on Monday after becoming the second man, alongside Novak Djokovic 11 years ago in 2015, to win Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo in the same season. He has now won 17 straight matches this season dating back to a quarterfinal loss to Jakub Mensik in Doha on Feb. 19.

Breezy conditions were a subplot to the 17th career meeting between Alcaraz and Sinner, conditions that both players struggled to navigate in the first set. In an opener that lasted 74 minutes, the two men combined to hit 44 unforced errors, and totaled a collective 83 in the match.

But Alcaraz in particular could not maintain momentum in either set, as he had leads of 2-0 in the first and 3-1 in the second. He double faulted on set point in the tiebreaker, double faulted again to put Sinner even in the second, and won less than 60% of the points played in his service games overall.

Sinner, who confessed that he was fading physically after two hours and 15 minutes of play, said a positive mentality proved crucial.

"I felt close on the return games ... and I just tried to stay there mentally," Sinner said.

"Getting back to No. 1 means a lot for me," he added. "I am very happy to win a big title on this surface, I haven't done it before and it means a lot to me."

"It is impressive what you are achieving right now," Alcaraz said to Sinner during the trophy ceremony. "Just one man had won the Sunshine Double and Monte-Carlo and you are the second. It is something incredible and I just experienced how difficult it is. Congratulations for everything, and the work you are doing with your team."