Alcaraz: "Sinner is reaching a really dangerous level on clay"

Iker Jiménez | 12 Apr 2026 | 19.33

Alcaraz: "Sinner is reaching a truly dangerous level on clay." Source: Getty

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Carlos Alcaraz could not defend the title at the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 after losing in the final against Jannik Sinner in a match marked by the wind and decided by the details, especially in a first tie-break where the Italian showed great composure. The defeat not only deprived him of lifting his second consecutive trophy in the Principality but also cost him the world number 1 spot, now back in the hands of the Italian player.

Beyond the result, Alcaraz gave a nuanced press conference, acknowledging that he was not sharp in the decisive moments, analyzing how the conditions influenced the game, and sending a clear message about Sinner's potential on clay. He also talked about his planning for the rest of the tour and the importance of listening better to his body compared to last year.

Alcaraz explains the key to the defeat against Sinner

"In the crucial moments, in the key points, I didn't play well. I believe I had many opportunities throughout the match and I didn't capitalize on them. Many games, many points, many 15-30, 0-30 situations. I think in the first tie-break, I didn't play well, and I believe he simply played incredible tennis when it really mattered. I think that was the key today."

A match with a lot of wind

"Today, the conditions were really tough because I consider myself a player who performs very well in windy conditions. Today's wind was a bit tricky because it wasn't consistently blowing in one direction. It kept changing constantly: at one point, it seemed to work in your favor, and then in the next moment, it was completely the opposite. It was challenging to understand its direction. But I would say that we played great tennis considering the conditions. He also played great tennis in windy conditions. I believe he simply performed at a higher level than me when it mattered in these conditions. I'm proud of myself because it didn't affect my game or style as much as it usually does in these situations. But that's how it is. Obviously, it bothered me. I think it also bothered Jannik, but he played much better."

Sinner's level

"I'm not surprised at all. We had already seen Jannik's level on clay, and I believe he has improved a lot year after year. He is reaching a level on clay that will be really dangerous for anyone. I'm not surprised at all because we already saw the level he displayed last year at Roland Garros. He has the level on clay to win any tournament he plays on this surface and, of course, on any other. He understands the game on clay very well."

Rest of the clay tour

"The main goal is to play the entire clay calendar. We'll see how it goes. It was also the goal last year, and unfortunately, I couldn't because I was injured. So, I knock on wood and pray that nothing happens to my body. I listen much better to my body than last year, that's for sure. If I have to skip one, I'll skip a tournament. If my body stays healthy, I'll do everything necessary to take care of it. If I don't have any issues, I'll play everything on clay. We'll see how the upcoming weeks go. I don't know how the matches will be, if I'll win, if I'll lose early, if they'll be very physically demanding... I don't know. But what I can say is that this year I will listen much better to my body."

Sinner, dominant from the baseline

Yes, one hundred percent. I think on clay at times, the serve helps a lot, but overall, he won the match from the baseline. Especially backhand to backhand. Particularly in the first set, we played a lot in that area, and I felt he was much more in a position to attack than me. He played much better from that side. I believe he simply struck the ball better and won the match from the baseline. It's true that his serve percentage wasn't that good, but when it really mattered, he hit the first serve. In the tie-break, he didn't miss any. And I think I only made one or two returns in that tie-break. So when it counts, he plays with the first serve, and that's why it's so difficult to play against him."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz: "Sinner está alcanzando un nivel en tierra realmente peligroso"