Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner met for the first time this year on Sunday, with the Italian claiming a 7-6, 6-3 victory in the Monte-Carlo Masters final.

The match added another chapter to their growing rivalry, with both players continuing to establish themselves at the top of men’s tennis.

Following the contest, attention quickly turned to Alcaraz’s reaction as he reflected on Sinner’s recent achievements.

Carlos Alcaraz praises Jannik Sinner’s historic achievement after Monte Carlo final

Speaking after the match, Alcaraz acknowledged the level Sinner has reached in recent months.

“Jannik, it’s impressive what you are doing. Just the second man in the Open Era to win the Sunshine Double and then Monte-Carlo,” he said, according to journalist Jose Morgado.

The Spaniard’s comments highlight the scale of Sinner’s achievement, with Novak Djokovic the only other player to complete that sequence, doing so in 2015.

The recognition underlined the respect between the two players, as the 24-year-old continues to build a remarkable run of results at the highest level.

Jannik Sinner’s victory secures world number one spot

The win also had major implications for the ATP Rankings.

Sinner moved ahead of Alcaraz to claim the number one position, opening a 160-point gap between them.

He is now on a 17-match winning streak, with his last defeat coming in February in Doha against Jakub Mensik.

Read more: