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

"I'm at risk of losing my number one ranking" - Carlos Alcaraz acknowledges the threat to his top spot as Jannik Sinner gains momentum at the Monte-Carlo Masters. Sinner marked his return to European clay courts with an 18th consecutive match win and 36th straight set victory at the Masters 1000 level, overpowering Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-0 in just 61 minutes. Having achieved the 'Sunshine Double' without dropping a set, the 24-year-old carried his winning streak onto clay with confidence. Sinner and Alcaraz are currently ranked first and second, with 2950 and 2900 points respectively, followed by Daniil Medvedev with 1700 points. The Italian's impressive win would have likely impressed Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt, who watched from the stands. "It was a solid performance from me," Sinner said. "Adapting to clay requires adjustments in your game style and approach to certain situations. The first clay tournament is never easy, but I came here feeling positive, albeit with limited expectations." Alcaraz secured a swift 6-1, 6-3 opening-round win against Sebastian Baez, marking his 14th consecutive clay-court victory and equalling his longest winning streak on the surface. "It's been a great start to the tournament for me," Alcaraz said. "Honestly, I surprised myself with my level of play. I thought I'd perform a bit worse, but I'm happy with everything I've accomplished today. Although there were a couple of things I didn't do well in the second set, allowing my opponent to get back into the match, I'm overall pleased to be playing on clay again." This week, Alcaraz is aware that Sinner has the opportunity to overtake him as world No 1 by next Monday. "I will inevitably lose my No 1 spot at some point; it's just a matter of when. I'm defending a significant number of points, which will be challenging to maintain. Even if I manage to defend them, Sinner will likely gain points. My focus is on performing my best and seeing how things unfold. The No 1 spot isn't my priority right now; I'm concentrating on finding my rhythm on clay courts and navigating the clay swing." Alcaraz expressed surprise that Sinner decided to participate, given his recent 'Sunshine Double' win. "If he chose to play here, it means he's feeling physically and mentally strong, and excited to compete. However, I was surprised because he's had a lot of matches in the last month, with limited time to rest and prepare for clay. He's also playing doubles, which is impressive, given his ability to adapt quickly to different surfaces." British No 1 Cameron Norrie suffered a second-round exit, losing to fifth seed Alex De Minaur in three sets. After a tight opening set, Norrie won five consecutive games to force a decider, but De Minaur broke serve twice at the start of the final set, progressing 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-2.