How Jannik Sinner’s Masters streak compares to Djokovic, Nadal, Federer after Monte Carlo title

Jannik Sinner reclaimed the world No 1 ranking from Carlos Alcaraz after defeating his rival to win Monte Carlo for his third Masters title in a row.

Sinner added to his victories at Indian Wells and the Miami Open to win his first Masters title on clay, with the Italian dropping just one set while building a streak of 22 consecutive victories at the Masters level.

With Sinner’s run at Masters events stretching back to Paris at the end of last season, the 24-year-old has become just the third man to win four consecutive Masters title since the series began in 1990.

Novak Djokovic has won four consecutive Masters titles on three different occasions and, like Sinner, also won events either before or after the ‘Sunshine Double’ of Indian Wells and Miami.

Rafael Nadal won four consecutive Masters titles in a row between Madrid and Cincinnati in 2013, but Sinner becomes just the second man, after Djokovic in 2015, to win the first three Masters events of the season.

Sinner’s 22 victories in a row at Masters level since the start of Paris remains some way off the records set by Djokovic and Federer, however.

Djokovic won 31 matches in a row at Masters tournaments between Indian Wells and Cincinnati in 2011, although he missed Monte Carlo that season.

Federer recorded a 29-match winning streak between 2005 and 2006, while Sinner could move level with Nadal’s best run of 23 consecutive victories when he starts his Madrid campaign later this month.

Alcaraz, who saw his 17-match winning run ended by Sinner, can reclaim his No 1 ranking if he wins the Barcelona title, but it will be back on the line in Madrid with neither play having points to defend.

Alcaraz praised Sinner’s start to the season during the trophy ceremony in Monte Carlo and said: “Just one man in the Open era won the Sunshine Double and the Monte Carlo [Djokovic]. You’re the second one to achieve it. It’s something incredible. It’s so difficult to make that happen.”

Sinner, whose only losses this season have come to Djokovic in the Australian Open semi-finals and to Jakub Mensik in the ATP 500 tournament in Doha, said: “We came here just trying to get as many matches as possible, having good feedback before other big tournaments coming up.

“But look, the result is amazing. Getting back to number one means a lot to me. At the same as I always say, the ranking is secondary. I’m very happy to win at least one big trophy on this surface. I haven’t done it before, so it means a lot to me.”