Sinner & Alcaraz Open Clay-court Seasons With Wins

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz continued their tussle for nan world number 1 spot arsenic they opened their clay-court seasons pinch commanding second-round wins astatine nan Monte Carlo Masters.

Fresh from completing nan 'Sunshine Double' without dropping a set, Sinner needed only 64 minutes to complete a 6-3 6-0 demolition of Frenchman Ugo Humbert - conceding conscionable six points successful nan 2nd set.

It was an 18th successive Masters 1000 triumph for nan Italian 2nd seed, who has now won 36 consecutive sets astatine that level.

If Sinner goes each nan measurement and wins successful Monaco he will switch Alcaraz arsenic nan world number 1 erstwhile nan rankings are updated connected Monday.

Alcaraz, nan defending champion, opened his clay-court play pinch a 6-1 6-3 triumph successful 70 minutes against Argentina's Sebastian Baez - a six-time ATP Tour champion connected clay - later connected Tuesday.

It was nan Spaniard's first lucifer connected clay since he triumphed complete Sinner successful past year's enthralling French Open final, erstwhile he came backmost from 2 sets down and saved 3 Championship points en way to his 2nd Roland Garros title.

Alcaraz, who had a 22-1 grounds connected clay and won 3 titles connected nan aboveground successful 2025, has held nan number 1 spot since November.

"I'm going to suffer number 1 successful nan world. I don't cognize if it is going to beryllium astatine this tourney aliases nan adjacent one," said Alcaraz.

"I'm defending a bunch of points that are going to beryllium really difficult to defend. Even if I take sides them, Jannik is going to adhd immoderate points.

"I will conscionable effort to play my champion and let's spot what happens, but for maine nan number 1 spot is not successful my mind correct now. I'm conscionable trying to consciousness nan champion measurement connected clay courts and let's spot really nan clay plaything goes."

The spread betwixt nan brace is down to 1,190 points arsenic nan play moves connected to nan European clay-court swing.

Sinner has nary ranking points to take sides until nan Italian Open astatine nan commencement of May because he was serving a three-month suspension this clip past twelvemonth for failing 2 doping tests.

He will request to scope astatine slightest nan semi-finals and past amended Alcaraz's consequence successful Monte Carlo if he is to switch ranking places pinch nan seven-time awesome winner.

Sinner will look Argentine Francisco Cerundolo successful nan adjacent round, while Alcaraz will play either Tomas Martin Etcheverry of Argentina aliases France's Terence Atmane.