There is a new king on the throne. The sky at the Monte Carlo Country Club was windy and unpredictable, but the two finest tennis players on the planet emerged with the ultimate prize on the line. Yankee Scores reports.
Jannik Sinner returned to the top spot of the world rankings for the first time since November. He defeated defending champion and tournament favorite Carlos Alcaraz 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters.
This faceoff in Monaco turned out to be the first encounter between the world’s top-ranked players ever since Sinner’s easy win against his rival in the ATP Championship finals in November.
It was a tough, close contest characterized by fierce battles. They had to deal with the gusty weather which made things even more unpredictable.
A Master 1000 Triple Crown
This victory made the 24-year-old Italian player win his third Masters 1000 trophy in one year. The victory came after his previous wins in Indian Wells and Miami.
“It has been an interesting week trying to learn how to play again on clay,” said Sinner.
“I came here trying to get as many matches as possible and I’m happy to win one big tournament on this surface.
“Having this trophy and getting back to number one means a lot to me.
“Today was a very high level from both of us. It was a bit breezy and different conditions to what we had played in this week.”
Battle Against the Elements
After trading early breaks, none was able to assert dominance as both players struggled to hold their serves at times.
Sinner improved his performance during the tie-break thanks to his first serves. He managed to take advantage of his first out of two set points after an Alcaraz double fault put him ahead.
Closing the Gap
The second set started off slowly for Sinner. He found himself trailing 15-40 in the first service game before falling behind 2-1 and taking a lead 3-1 ahead.
However, he stayed competitive as Alcaraz was unable to overpower him during his serves. He got a lead 4-3 ahead and put pressure on the young 22-year-old who had defeated him in 10 of their previous 16 encounters.
An inconsistent service game from Alcaraz led to another break point opportunity for Sinner, which he managed to convert to claim his 27th career win on the ATP Tour.
