Sinner Heats Up the Competition for Alcaraz in the Battle for World No 1 at Monte-Carlo Masters

"I'm at risk of losing my number one spot" - Carlos Alcaraz acknowledges that his position at the top is under threat this week at the Monte-Carlo Masters, with Jannik Sinner closing in. Sinner made a strong return to European clay, winning his 18th consecutive match and 36th successive set at Masters 1000 level, defeating Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-0 in 61 minutes. Following his 'Sunshine Double' victories in Indian Wells and Miami without dropping a set, Sinner carried his momentum into clay with a confident win. The current rankings stand at 1. Carlos Alcaraz - 2950, 2. Jannik Sinner - 2900, and 3. Daniil Medvedev - 1700. Sinner's pursuit of his first Masters 1000 title on clay began impressively, with a swift victory over Humbert that would have likely impressed even Usain Bolt, who watched from the stands. "It was a solid performance from me," Sinner said, acknowledging the need to adapt his game style on clay. Alcaraz, meanwhile, secured a 6-1, 6-3 win over Sebastian Baez in just 69 minutes, marking his 14th consecutive clay victory and equalling his longest winning streak on the surface from 2022. "It's been a great start to the tournament for me," Alcaraz said, expressing surprise at his level of play. "To be honest, I thought I would play a bit worse, but I'm happy with everything I've done today." However, Alcaraz is aware that Sinner could replace him as world No 1 next Monday. "I'm going to lose the number one spot at some point; I don't know if it will be at this tournament or another," Alcaraz admitted. "I'm defending a lot of points that will be tough to keep. Even if I do, Jannik will gain points. My focus is on playing my best and seeing what happens, with the No 1 spot not being my priority right now." Elsewhere, British No 1 Cameron Norrie exited the Monte Carlo Masters in the second round, losing to fifth seed Alex De Minaur in three sets. After a tight opening set, Norrie forced a decider but was broken twice at the start of the final set, allowing De Minaur to progress 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-2. Sinner and Alcaraz, following first-round byes, opened their clay seasons with commanding victories, setting the stage for their ongoing battle for the top spot.