Alcaraz: I’m Going to Lose World No. 1

By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, April 7, 2026
Photo credit: Julien DeRosa/AFP/Getty

Carlos Alcaraz launched this 2026 season on a 16-0 winning tear.

Reigning Roland Garros champion Alcaraz starts this clay campaign resigned to an inevitable loss.

Alcaraz accepts he will lose his world No. 1 ranking to Jannik Sinner during this spring clay season.

“Well, to be honest, I’m going to lose the number one in the world,” Alcaraz said after dismissing Sebastian Baez 6-1, 6-3, to launch his Monte-Carlo title defense today. “I don’t know if it will be in this tournament or in the next one, I defend a lot of points and it will be very difficult to defend all of them.

“Although if I defend them, Jannik is going to score some points in this tournament, in which he doesn’t defend any, so I’ll try to play my best and see what happens. Of course, right now, the number one debate doesn’t worry me.”

Alcaraz has won 23 of his last 24 clay-court matches and now faces a daunting dirt schedule that sees him aim to defend titles in Monte-Carlo, Rome and Roland Garros.

Race to No.1 Ranking Scenarios This Week in Monte-Carlo

Player	R32	R16	QF	SF	FINAL	TITLE
No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz	12,600	12,690	12,790	12,990	13,240	13,590
No. 2 Jannik Sinner	12,400	12,450	12,550	12,750	13,000	13,350

The second-ranked Sinner can supplant Alcaraz as world No. 1 by winning his maiden Monte-Carlo championship. Alcaraz spends his 66th week as world No. 1 this week, equaling Sinner’s mark for weeks in the top spot. The man who takes the title will start a 67th week as world No. 1 on Monday.

Sinner starts this week in Monte-Carlo knowing he can only gain ranking points—and regain world No. 1 by taking Alcaraz’s title. Alcaraz arrives in Monte-Carlo armed with 13,590 ranking points, but he’s defending 1,000 points from his run to the 2025 Monte-Carlo championship. Sinner, who holds 12,400 points, is defending nothing in the Principality and can rise back to No. 1 winning his maiden Monte-Carlo crown.

Though the top spot is within sight, the Sunshine Double ruler said it’s a motivation not an obsession.

“I come here with just feeling quite free, you know,” Sinner told Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj. “I think whatever the result is I don’t want to put pressure or anything else.

“At the end of the day No. 1 is important, but more important for me as a player is to improve on this surface. I haven’t won anything yet, talking about big titles, but I was close. It’s a new year, new season new opportunities.”