Carlos Alcaraz has cleared the air on his earlier remarks about Jannik Sinner’s unexpected appearance at the 2026 Monte-Carlo Masters, offering a measured explanation during his latest press conference in Monaco.
The Spaniard, who arrived as the defending champion, stressed that his surprise had nothing to do with rankings or rivalry narratives. Instead, it was rooted in the physical and logistical challenge of transitioning so quickly from a demanding hard-court stretch to the clay season.
Why Carlos Alcaraz Was Surprised by Jannik Sinner’s Schedule
Sinner had just completed a historic Sunshine Double, winning back-to-back titles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells and the Miami Open. That stretch typically drains even the most durable players, especially with travel, time zone changes, and the shift from hard courts to clay.
The Monte-Carlo Masters, notably the only non-mandatory ATP Masters 1000 event, often sees top names skip participation to recover ahead of the European clay swing. Several players made that choice this year, but Sinner opted to compete, raising eyebrows, including those of his top rival.
The topic gained traction after Alcaraz’s initial comments during media day with Sky Sport Tennis, where he openly expressed his surprise at Sinner’s decision. “Honestly, I was surprised that Jannik, after the Indian Wells and Miami tour, came to play in Monte Carlo,” he had said earlier.
At the time, he also framed it as a testament to Sinner’s red-hot form, adding that the Italian’s presence reflected “what he is capable of doing right now.” Alcaraz even looked ahead to a potential showdown, noting that the two had not faced each other yet this season and expressing hope they could meet during the clay swing.
Alcaraz Explains the Toll of the Sunshine Double on Sinner
In his latest press conference following his second-round victory over Sebastian Baez, Alcaraz expanded on that initial reaction with a more detailed breakdown of the circumstances.
“I just think a lot of things ahead. It feels like we’re guessing which tournaments players are going to play sometimes,” he said. “Obviously, he was successful in Indian Wells and Miami, a lot of matches, a long swing. From the last day in Miami until the first day here is like one week.”
MORE: Carlos Alcaraz ‘Surprised’ by Jannik Sinner’s Monte-Carlo Decision As He Eyes Showdown
He stressed how challenging that transition can be: “You’re coming from different time differences, different surfaces, different balls. It’s tricky when you don’t have that much time to prepare yourself for another surface, another kind of play, another tournament, another environment.”
At the same time, Alcaraz made it clear the decision ultimately reflects Sinner’s condition and mindset, saying, “If he decides to come here, that means he feels good physically, feels good mentally, and is excited to come here.”
He reiterated his admiration, adding, “I was surprised because he had a lot of matches in the last month playing on hard court and not having that much time to rest and prepare for clay. But we can see he’s playing doubles, he played great today. That shows the great player he is, because he adapts really well in such a short period of time from one surface to another.”
Looking ahead, Alcaraz will take on either Tomás Martín Etcheverry or Terence Atmane in the third round. Sinner, meanwhile, defeated Ugo Humbert to advance to the third round, where he will face either 16th seed Francisco Cerundolo or Tomáš Macháč.
