Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner beats the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, becoming the third player in the series history to win four consecutive Masters 1000 titles.
Back at the top of the Rankings, Jannik Sinner conquered The Principality by emerging victorious over Carlos Alcaraz 7-6(5), 6-3 in two hours and 15 minutes, lifting his biggest title on the clay surface at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on a breezy Sunday.
After the match, he said, “We came here just trying to get as many matches as possible. I’m very happy to win one big trophy on this surface, which I hadn’t done before.
“It’s an amazing result and getting back to No. 1 means a lot.”
Coming off the back of completing the 'Sunshine Double' (Indian Wells and Miami) last March, the world No. 2 became the first man to reach the first three Masters 1000 finals in a season since Novak Djokovic (2015) on Saturday.
Embodying perfection across an intense week on Monegasque soil, the 24-year-old impressed with his superb run of form, and as a result, he extended his winning streak at the Masters 1000 level to 22 matches on Sunday.
The Grand Finale as It Happened
Competing in their first meeting of the season, Alcaraz and Sinner renewed their rivalry, going toe-to-toe in front of a sold-out crowd on Court Rainier III.
The grand finale was marked by the parity between them, as fine as it gets at the elite of tennis when two leading forces clash with so much at stake.
Also, the weather conditions became an extra challenge for the players, with humidity and wind, which made the court slower and the balls heavier.
In that regard, Sinner commented: “Today was breezy, different conditions from what we had earlier in the tournament."
Adding: "Having the trophy means a lot to me. It’s a completely different tournament for me, being able to sleep at home and everything. It means a lot.”
The Spaniard hit first, converting the first break early in the second game of the first set; however, the second seed, playing aggressively from the baseline, broke straight back, holding to even the scoreline 2-2.
Both held their ground in lengthy baseline rallies as a tense atmosphere took over the Monte-Carlo Country Club.
On both sides of the net, they amused the spectators with their brilliant shotmaking as well as their erratic moments.
Alcaraz's trademark drop shots, executed with finesse as Sinner's aggressive baseline play were some of the weapons used in a battle of titans, where the level was not as high as the tension.
The 22-year-old began to play more freely from the seventh game onward, and his opponent felt the impact, losing a break point opportunity in the ninth game.
However, he regruped fast, adding heavy pressure on the Murcia native who held his ground to love in the 11th game, securing his spot in a potential tiebreak.
In the 12th game, they rallied, sending the first set into a tiebreaker.
The Wimbledon winner came out on top as Alcaraz double-faulted, sealing it 7-6(5) in 74 minutes.
Trailing by a set down, Alcaraz came out firing, forcing his adversary to save two break points in the first game of the second set.
Taking risks, he went the distance, painting the lines to convert a break in the third game, up 2-1.
A rollercoaster fourth game saw the 26 ATP titlist rush to open a 40-0 advantage, which Sinner dug deep to erase.
Nonetheless, his efforts were cut short when he missed two chances to break the seven-time major champion, who committed his fourth double-fault in the match.
It would add up to a costly mistake at the net, allowing Spain's No. 1 racquet to extend his lead to 3-1.
Sinner dropped intensity, but as the second set wore on, he found his way to stay the course.
Playing with depth while hitting the ball cleanly off both winds, he charged back, converting a break of serve in his third attempt to set the tie even at 3-3, and held to grab a 4-3 lead.
Following a dramatic eighth game, which he mastered with a double break, firing a forehand forcing shot, the Italian player went on to serve for the match.
Eventually, he wrapped up the set 6- 3 in 60 minutes and the championship, winning his 27th title at the tour level, his first crown in The Principality.
Overall, the new champion hit 13 winners against 38 unforced errors, compared to the Spaniard's 20 and 45, respectively.
The pair both came through the semifinals, recording straight-set wins.
Sinner outlasted world No. 3 Alexander Zverev while Alcaraz halted Valentin Vacherot's exceptional run, the first Monegasque player in history to reach the last four at the event.
Furthermore, the Italian leaves Monte-Carlo as the new world number one.