How Jannik Sinner’s latest move could help Carlos Alcaraz stay world number one

After his win over Ugo Humbert in the Monte Carlo Masters second round, Sinner told the press he was looking forward to some time away from the court.

“Happy to play at least one more match here, and knowing also, mentally, that after this tournament I have some time off, time to relax, and then get ready for Madrid,” he said.

That means Sinner is likely skipping the rest of the clay-court events leading up to Madrid.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, is set to play in Barcelona as the top seed. The tournament’s sporting director, Tommy Robredo, confirmed his participation in a statement on their website.

“For us it’s a source of pride to have the best player in the world in our tournament. It has already been clear in recent years that people want to see him. [Carlos] Alcaraz is a player who does the impossible. He can pull spectacular shots out of nowhere which makes him a player unlike any other,” said Robredo.

How Alcaraz has fared at the Barcelona Open over his career

Alcaraz’s first appearance in Barcelona was in 2019, where he lost in the opening round of qualifying to Pedro Sousa of Portugal.

He returned two years later but once again fell early, this time to Frances Tiafoe of the United States in the first round.

However, after starting 0-2, the Spaniard quickly found his form…

Alcaraz won his first title at Barcelona in 2022, beating fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the final. He backed it up by defending his title a year later without dropping a set.

An injury kept him out of the tournament in 2024, but he reached the final again in 2025 before falling short against Holger Rune.

The question now is whether he can claim a third title when play gets underway on Monday, April 13.