Alcaraz Faces Pressure from Sinner in Bid to Retain World No 1 Spot

Carlos Alcaraz has admitted that his grip on the world No 1 ranking is under threat, with Jannik Sinner closing in on him at the Monte-Carlo Masters. Sinner made a strong start to the tournament, winning his 18th consecutive match at Masters 1000 level and extending his streak of successive sets to 36. The Italian, who recently completed the 'Sunshine Double' by winning the Indian Wells and Miami Open without dropping a set, defeated Ugo Humbert 6-3 6-0 in just 61 minutes. Alcaraz, meanwhile, began his title defence with a 6-1 6-3 win over Sebastian Baez, but acknowledged that Sinner has a chance to overtake him in the rankings next week. 'I'm going to lose the number one spot at some point,' Alcaraz said. 'I don't know if it will be at this tournament or another one, but I'm defending a lot of points that will be difficult to defend.' Sinner's impressive form has raised the stakes in the battle for the world No 1 ranking, and Alcaraz will need to be at his best to hold onto the top spot. Meanwhile, British No 1 Cameron Norrie suffered a second-round exit at the hands of Alex De Minaur, losing 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 6-2.