Trofeo in hand, world number 1 regained, Alcaraz defeated in the final 7-6, 6-3. Jannik Sinner had every reason to celebrate big. And so he did: dive from the highest platform of the Olympic swimming pool in Monte Carlotogether with his coach Simone Vagnozzi. So far so good, except that once he reached the top, Sinner leaned down, assessed the situation and took a step back. «Min…, but how tall is he?» he said, with a frankness that made everyone present smile.
Jannik Sinner and all from the springboard of the strongest tennis player in the world
Enjoying the scene from the poolside was Carlos Alcaraz, defeated a few hours earlier but evidently not enough to give up the show. The dive finally arrivedbut Sinner’s little hesitation said something that no statistic can tell: that behind the most dominant tennis player of the moment there is still a 23-year-old boy capable of looking down from a trampoline and wondering if it’s really worth it.
A victory worth double
The Monte Carlo final offered much more than a trophy or prize money. Jannik Sinner beat Alcaraz for the seventh time in seventeen direct matcheswon the his first Masters 1000 on clay. ANDabove all, yes regained the top of the world rankings. It is the third consecutive title after Indian Wells and Miami, a streak that only Djokovic had managed in history. “I’m happy to have finally won an important tournament on clay,” he said at the end of the match. With Madrid, Rome and Paris still to play, it’s safe to think that it’s just the beginning.
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