Alcaraz says he was ‘surprised’ to see Sinner in Monte Carlo: ‘It’s his decision’

Monte Carlo Masters

Carlos Alcaraz said he was “surprised” to see Jannik Sinner in Monte Carlo so soon after the Italian’s brutal run through the hard-court swing in Indian Wells and Miami, where he completed the Masters 1000 double without taking a break.

The world No. 1 made it clear, though, that the decision belongs entirely to Sinner. In Alcaraz’s view, simply showing up so quickly after Miami suggests the Italian is in good shape physically and mentally, and eager to keep pushing in his bid to reclaim the world top spot.

“From the last day in Miami to the first one here there’s barely a week. You come from a big time difference, a different surface... everything is different, different balls. It’s complicated to prepare in such a short time for another surface, another style of play, another tournament, another environment. Obviously it depends on him and it’s every player’s decision whether to go to one tournament or another. If he has decided to come here, it means he feels good physically, mentally, and he is excited,” said the world No. 1 about the Italian’s ambition.

Alcaraz’s comments reflect a simple truth in tennis, which is that elite players often treat the calendar like a suggestion rather than a plan. Sinner’s decision to jump straight into Monte Carlo, after winning Indian Wells and Miami on hard courts, underlines just how confident he is in his current form and workload.