Alcaraz Faces Pressure from Sinner in Bid to Retain World No 1 Spot at Monte-Carlo Masters

Carlos Alcaraz has admitted that his grip on the world No 1 ranking is under threat from Jannik Sinner at the Monte-Carlo Masters. Sinner, who recently achieved the 'Sunshine Double' by winning Indian Wells and Miami Open without dropping a set, continued his impressive form with a convincing 6-3 6-0 victory over Ugo Humbert. The Italian's win marked his 18th consecutive match victory and 36th successive set win at Masters 1000 level. Alcaraz, meanwhile, secured a 6-1 6-3 win against Sebastian Baez, equalling his longest winning streak on clay. However, he acknowledged that Sinner's pursuit of the top ranking spot poses a significant challenge. "I'm going to lose the number one spot at some point, but I'm not focusing on that right now," Alcaraz said. "I'm just trying to perform my best on clay courts and see how the clay swing goes." Sinner's impressive start to the tournament has set up a thrilling competition, with Alcaraz aware that he must defend his points to maintain his ranking. The Spaniard expressed surprise at Sinner's decision to compete in the Monte-Carlo Masters, given his recent success and lack of rest. "If he decided to come here, it means he feels good physically and mentally," Alcaraz said. "He played great today, which shows what a great player he is, adapting to different surfaces in a short period." Meanwhile, British No 1 Cameron Norrie suffered a second-round exit, losing to fifth seed Alex De Minaur in three sets. Norrie won five consecutive games to force a decider but ultimately fell 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 6-2.