World No. 1 and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the semi-finals with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Alexander Bublik. He is joined by world No. 2 Jannik Sinner, who defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-4. The two top-ranked players have not faced each other in an official match in 2026, setting up a potential final showdown. Alcaraz has conceded that Sinner is poised to take the No. 1 ranking, noting that Sinner is adding points in tournaments where he has none to defend while Alcaraz is defending a significant number.
Sinner enters the semi-finals in dominant form, having not lost a match since February 19. He recently became the first man to win the Indian Wells and Miami tournaments back-to-back without dropping a set. His record run of 37 consecutive sets won at the Masters 1000 level was ended by Tomas Machac earlier this season. Alcaraz expressed surprise at Sinner's participation in Monte Carlo after his hard-court successes, attributing it to Sinner's excellent physical condition.
I'm going to speak with my team to try to know how I can beat him. My main asset is that I'm playing at home.
Valentin Vacherot has produced the tournament's surprise run, reaching the semi-finals with victories over Lorenzo Musetti and Alex de Minaur. The Monegasque player is currently ranked a career-high world No. 23 and is guaranteed to break into the top 20 next week. Vacherot acknowledged the challenge ahead but highlighted his home advantage.
Alcaraz has been observing his rival's evolution on clay, noting Sinner's incorporation of more drop shots into his game. In his own preparation, Alcaraz took a five-day break playing golf before the clay season began. He finished as the runner-up in Barcelona in 2025 and expressed his affection for the surface.
It was my fourth match, and playing De Minaur in very heavy conditions this evening, I knew it would need a lot more energy. He runs so well. He makes so few mistakes. But what helped me was the crowd, of course, and the eagerness to do well, the eagerness to play Alcaraz tomorrow.
In other tournament action, Alexander Zverev secured his semi-final spot with a 7-5, 6-7(3), 6-3 victory over Joao Fonseca, who is ranked world No. 40. Fonseca has now played and lost to both Alcaraz and Sinner. In first-round action, Cameron Norrie defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(7-0). Zverev will face Sinner in the semi-finals.
The tournament features seven of the top 10 ATP players, but notable absences include Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, and Jack Draper. Sinner himself missed the event last year due to a suspension.
The potential Alcaraz-Sinner final has sparked discussion among players about their rivalry and dominance. Alexander Bublik claimed that Alcaraz and Sinner are untouchable at Grand Slams, a sentiment Alcaraz partially disputed, noting they have won the last nine Grand Slams but he does not believe they are invincible.