The race is on for the No.1 ranking at this week’s Monte Carlo Masters, where a stumble in the tournament by Carlos Alcaraz could open the door to him being dethroned from top spot.
Second-place Jannik Sinner is breathing heavily down his rival’s neck following an emphatic performance in America last month, where he won back-to-back titles in Indian Wells and Miami without dropping a set. After winning both of their opening matches in Monte Carlo, the Italian trails Alcaraz by only 240 points and can overtake him if he performs two rounds better. Otherwise, there are various other scenarios at play. Including a final showdown between the two, where the winner takes the title and No.1 spot.
However, 24-year-old Sinner isn’t focusing too much on this battle with his priority being on his game on the clay. He has only won one title on the surface, which was back in 2022 at an ATP 250 event in Croatia. Last season, he made it to the finals of Rome and the French Open before losing to Alcaraz both times.
“More time would have been better, but at the same time, it was my choice to play here,” Sinner said of the short turnaround between playing in America and Monte Carlo.
“I think the best practice is official matches. I am very happy to play at least one more match here (in Monte Carlo).
“Whatever comes, it’s a really good bonus. Mentally, I know that after coming here I have some days off, which helps me also to recover fully for Madrid, Rome and then of course Paris.”
Despite his status as one of the sport’s best players, Sinner isn’t putting too much pressure on himself at the Masters 1000 event, which he is a two-time semi-finalist at. He wasn’t allowed to play last year due to a 90-day suspension for an anti-doping violation that was agreed via a case resolution between his legal team and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Ironically, this suspension has aided Sinner’s race to the top spot, with him having no points to defend until Rome.
“I come here feeling quite free. I take whatever the result is. I don’t want to put pressure on myself,” he continued.
“At the end of the day number one is important but at the same time it’s for me it’s more important to improve as a player on this surface. I haven’t won anything yet – talking about big titles and last year I was close, but it is a new season, a new year, new feelings and we’ll see how it goes.”
Looking further into his own development, the four-time Grand Slam winner is confident he is heading in the right direction, but more work is needed to make him an all-round player. Sinner currently has 26 ATP titles to his name, with 23 of those being won on hardcourts, as well as two on grass and one on clay.
“If you want to be a great player, you need to play good on every surface,” Sinner explains.
“This (clay) is a surface where I need to improve slightly. It’s always going up, year after year, if I look at my process and everything. So we’re taking it quite relaxed.
“I’m very happy on every court. I’m very happy when I have the chance to step on court healthy and that’s most important.”
In Monte Carlo, Sinner will next play either 16th seed Francisco Cerúndolo or Czech world No.53 Tomas Machac.
The race to No.1 in Monte Carlo
source – x.com/samjacot via atptoiur.com
