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Jannik Sinner beat Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets to win the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time on Sunday and reclaim the world No 1 ranking from his Spanish rival.
Sinner downed Alcaraz 7-6 (5), 6-3 to capture his third ATP 1000 title of the year after completing the “Sunshine Double” last month with victories in Indian Wells and Miami.
The 24-year-old Sinner joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as only the third player to win four successive ATP 1000 titles, having also triumphed in Paris at the end of last season.
It was the first meeting between Sinner and Alcaraz since the Italian prevailed at the ATP Finals in November.
Sinner, who is now 7-10 in his career against Alcaraz, will return to the top of the rankings Monday for the first time this year.
He has won his last 17 matches and becomes the first man since Djokovic in 2015 to win the first three ATP 1000 titles of the season.
Speaking on court afterwards, Jannik said: “We came here just trying to get as many matches as possible, having good feedback before other big tournaments coming up.
“Today was very high-level from both of us. It was a bit windy, breezy, completely different conditions than the tournament until today.
“But look, the result is amazing. Getting back to number one means a lot to me. At the same as I always say, the ranking is secondary. I’m very happy to win at least one big trophy on this surface.
“I haven’t done it before, so it means a lot to me.”
Alcaraz had raced into a 2-0 first-set lead, holding comfortably in the opening game before converting his first break point in the second, during which he produced two fine forehands as Sinner struggled to land his first serve.
However, the Italian broke back instantly and Alcaraz had to survive break points in the fifth and ninth games as Sinner piled on the pressure in an error-strewn first set which went to a tie-break.
Alcaraz was first to falter as his opponent, who had belatedly found a serving rhythm, established a 5-2 lead only to put a forehand into the net on set point, but perhaps fittingly, he eventually took it 7-5 courtesy of a double-fault.
Alcaraz was unable to convert either of the two break points he earned in the opening game of the second set to let Sinner off the hook, but he levelled in the next and then did make the pressure tell to go a break up.
But Sinner continued to pressurise the 22-year-old’s service and eventually broke back at the third time of asking in the sixth game.
He then repeated the feat two games later to establish a 5-3 lead which he never looked like surrendering as he served out to claim the win in two hours and 15 minutes.
