Alcaraz, Keeping Pace With Sinner, Enjoys Strong Win

Carlos Alcaraz wasn’t about to let Jannik Sinner take even the slightest mental edge as their battle for World No. 1 got underway Tuesday at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

Having seen his rival drop just three games to beat Ugo Humbert in 64 minutes, Alcaraz was essentially as efficient in his 6-1, 6-3 victory over Argentine Sebastian Baez, closing out the contest in 69 minutes.

The defending champion raced to a 3-0 lead after just 12 minutes, cracking a 114mph forehand crosscourt winner that left fans gobsmacked.

Full throttle tennis 😅@carlosalcaraz #RolexMonteCarloMasters pic.twitter.com/EwwFOuvK0I

— Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters (@ROLEXMCMASTERS) April 7, 2026

His only blemish came midway through the second set. On track for a sub-one-hour victory, Alcaraz was broken when leading 4-2 but quickly steadied to win his 14th consecutive match on clay, dating back to his titles in 2025 in Rome and Roland Garros.

Should Alcaraz and Sinner meet in the final, the champion will emerge No. 1 on Monday. Both players have spent 66 weeks in top spot throughout their careers.

“It’s been almost one year since the last time I played on clay,” Alcaraz said. “To be honest, I missed it. I missed getting myself dirty a little bit.

“It’s been a really good start of the tournament for me. To be honest, I surprised myself with the level… I was happy with everything I’ve done today, except for maybe letting him back into the match in the second set.”