Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are set to compete in Monte-Carlo next week as the European clay-court swing gets underway.
Carlos Alcaraz is the defending champion in Monaco, having defeated Lorenzo Musetti in last year’s final.
Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, has the opportunity to pick up maximum points in the Monegasque city after not competing at the 2025 event.
Is Jannik Sinner now the best server on the ATP Tour?
He won 18 points in a row on serve vs Jiri Lehecka…
Almost two weeks after their participation in Monte-Carlo, the pair will likely head to Spain for the Madrid Open.
Feliciano Lopez, the Madrid Open tournament director, has discussed whether he would like to see Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner play each other in the Madrid Open final this year.
Feliciano Lopez says he would ‘love’ a Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner Madrid Open final
“It would be fantastic,” Lopez [pictured below] told Radiogaceta de los Deportes en Radio Nacional Española, as reported by Punto de Break.
“I mean, watching Sinner and Alcaraz play together is a real treat for any tennis fan. Last year, we had the bad luck of Carlitos getting injured in Barcelona playing the final against Rune, and Sinner was just finishing his suspension.
“Sinner started competing again right after Madrid; Rome was his first tournament. We’re really looking forward to welcoming them both. Obviously, I’d love to see that final in Madrid.
We’ve seen the best of the best in Madrid: Novak vs. Federer, Rafa vs. Novak, Rafa vs. Federer, Carlos vs. Rafa in that last stage where Djokovic and Carlos also played.
“There was a fantastic match that lasted over three hours, I remember it perfectly.
“Djokovic has also expressed his intention to come, and then on the women’s side, to be honest, and trying to be fair, the best matches in recent years have been the women’s finals, specifically Swiatek vs. Sabalenka.
Will Jannik Sinner overtake Carlos Alcaraz and become world number one? 🤔
If so, when will he do it?
“They were incredible matches that will be remembered in the tournament’s history. So…” “Well, on the one hand, hopefully Sinner and Carlitos can be there, and on the other hand, hopefully we’ll continue to see those great matches on the women’s side that we’ve had lately.”
Alcaraz and Sinner are yet to play each other on the ATP Tour this year, despite playing in four of the same tournaments.
At the Australian Open and Qatar Open, Sinner was knocked out before having a chance to face Alcaraz in the final.
In Indian Wells and Miami, the reverse occurred: it was Alcaraz who was unable to make his way to the finals.
| Carlos Alcaraz | Jannik Sinner | |
| 2026 Titles | 2 [Australian Open, Qatar Open] | 2 [Indian Wells, Miami Open] |
| Ranking | 1 | 2 |
Feliciano Lopez reacts to Carlos Alcaraz’s recent form
After winning 16 consecutive matches to start the year, Carlos Alcaraz has come back down to earth.
The Spaniard has lost two of his last three matches on the Tour: to Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semi-finals, and Sebastian Korda in the Miami Open third-round.
However, much of the reaction to Alcaraz’s losses has been overstated and the Spaniard should not be worried about his form in the slightest.
Feliciano Lopez, the former world number 12, discussed his compatriot’s recent unexpected results on the ATP Tour.
“Look, on the one hand, it can happen to any player. In the end, tennis is a routine, monotonous sport, where the same thing happens every week.
“You see the same people, go to the same places, play at the same clubs, stay in the same hotels… I understand that a tennis player, at certain times, for whatever reason—perhaps being away from home for a while, having a personal problem—might feel the way Carlos felt in Miami. I understand that.
What surprised me is that it happened to him when it did, when he’s experiencing the best moment of his career. Because in the last year and a half, in my opinion, Carlos has undergone a phenomenal transformation, especially mentally.
“He was already the best player in the world, battling with Sinner, one week you, the next me, but I think that in the last year and a half, his mental change has been incredible.
“Carlos is a much more stable player, mentally much more consistent, with practically no lapses during matches. He’s a player who, in the only area where there was a little more room for improvement…” Improvement, that’s where Carlos has improved the most in the last year and a half.
Carlos Alcaraz’s projected ATP schedule…
- Monte-Carlo Masters
- Barcelona Open
- Madrid Open
- Italian Open
- French Open
“So, I was surprised by the timing, because he’s having an incredible time. If you know Carlos a little, it’s not so surprising.
“Carlos is a person who, for better or for worse, is expressive and says what he thinks on the court while competing, in private conversations, and in press conferences.
“He speaks frankly and says what he thinks. I love people like that, who are upfront and say what they think.
“It’s true, and I understand that for many people, seeing the world number one shout at his coach, ‘I want to go home,’ might be shocking. But if you put it in context and know the man a little, maybe it doesn’t seem so strange.
“Every day he gets up to compete, he has the obligation to win because he’s the best. Every time Carlos wins something important, the names of Rafa, Novak, Federer… come up.
“That’s a very heavy burden, and what’s incredible about all of that for me is how well he handles it. A naturalness like… he faces the pressure in matches with courage and audacity.”
