Alcaraz and Sinner to Clash in Monte-Carlo Masters Final with World No1 at Stake

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have both advanced to the Monte-Carlo Masters final, setting the stage for their first encounter of 2026. Sinner dominated Alexander Zverev 6-1 6-4, while Alcaraz defeated Valentin Vacherot 6-4 6-4. The winner of the final will also claim the World No1 spot. Sinner has now won 21 consecutive matches in Masters events and 42 of his last 43 sets in Masters events. He is on an eight-match winning streak against Zverev and has won 11 consecutive sets against him. This will be Sinner's 12th Masters final and his second on clay. Alcaraz, meanwhile, has become the third player to reach 10 ATP 1000 finals before the age of 23, joining Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Sinner expressed his happiness at reaching the final, saying, 'I'm very happy. We came here trying to give myself some feedback [on clay] and now finding myself in the final means a lot to me.' Jamie Murray praised Sinner's performance, calling it 'flawless' and 'complete domination.' Alcaraz, the defending champion, ended Vacherot's impressive run in the semi-finals. Vacherot had previously beaten Lorenzo Musetti, Hubert Hurkacz, and Alex de Minaur. Alcaraz struck first in the opening set and sealed the win with an ace. Although Vacherot mounted a comeback in the second set, Alcaraz proved too strong, winning three consecutive games to secure the victory. Alcaraz said, 'I think it's the dream spot for everyone. I'm fighting for my second Monte Carlo title; Jannik's fighting for his first one. It's going to be a really special one.' The final will be played on Sunday afternoon, with the winner claiming the World No1 spot on Monday.