Sinner Regains Top Spot in ATP Rankings with Monte Carlo Victory

Jannik Sinner has reclaimed the number one spot in the world rankings after defeating Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets at the Monte-Carlo Masters final. Sinner navigated the challenging windy conditions in Monaco more effectively than his opponent, securing a 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 win and reclaiming the top position in the ATP rankings from Alcaraz for the first time since November 2025. Although the match did not showcase the same level of intensity as some of the pair's previous encounters, it was marked by several twists and turns as Sinner overcame a second-set deficit to emerge victorious. This triumph marked Sinner's first win over Alcaraz on clay since 2022 and extended his impressive 22-match unbeaten streak at Masters tournaments, the level below Grand Slams. Sinner joins an elite group of players, including Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, as one of the few men to have won four consecutive ATP 1000 titles. “The result is amazing, and returning to the number one spot means a great deal to me,” Sinner said. “At the same time, the ranking is secondary; I'm thrilled to have won a major trophy on this surface, which is a first for me.” Alcaraz praised Sinner, saying, “It's impressive what you're achieving right now. Winning the Sunshine Double and Monte-Carlo is incredible. Congratulations on the work you're doing with your team.” The 17th professional meeting between tennis' current superstars will not be remembered as a classic, as both players struggled in the windy and overcast conditions. Alcaraz started strongly, breaking Sinner immediately, but the latter leveled the score at 2-2. Neither player was able to gain a decisive advantage in the first set, despite Sinner having break point opportunities in the fifth and ninth games. At 6-5 up, Alcaraz came close to taking the set but Sinner's strong serving helped him escape trouble, and he eventually won the set in a tie-break after 74 minutes. It seemed like Alcaraz might mount a comeback when he broke early in the second set; however, he struggled to hold serve, and Sinner capitalized on Alcaraz's errors to get back to 3-3. Sinner went on to win the next three games, ultimately sealing his first Monte-Carlo Masters title as Alcaraz became frustrated. Alcaraz and Sinner will now decide whether to face each other again in Barcelona, where Britain's Jack Draper will also be in action, before the ATP 1000 events in Madrid and Rome lead up to the French Open at the end of May. In other news, Mirra Andreeva won the Linz Open on Sunday, defeating Anastasia Potapova 1-6 6-4 6-3. Andreeva had to come back from a set down to claim her second WTA title and fourth of her career. “I was struggling to find a solution to play against you today. You're an amazing fighter and an even better person,” Andreeva said to Potapova during the presentation ceremony. Potapova, who switched allegiance to Austria in December, stated, “Playing here for the first time as an Austrian means the world to me. The support I received from the crowd this week was unprecedented, and I'm truly grateful.” Watch the ATP and WTA Tours live on Sky Sports or stream with NOW and the Sky Sports app, which provides Sky Sports customers with access to over 50 percent more live sports this year at no extra cost.