1. Jannik Sinner matches Roger Federer’s record
Jannik Sinner delivered a commanding performance against Ugo Humbert in his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters. The Italian looked sharp and in full control from the start. Sinner, who is aiming to reclaim the world number one spot from Carlos Alcaraz, secured a straight-sets victory. He defeated the former Paris Masters finalist 6-3, 6-0 on Court Rainier III.
Coming off the ‘Sunshine Double’ last month, Sinner has continued his winning rhythm. He has now extended his streak to 13 consecutive match wins on the ATP Tour.
His form has been exceptional, and the numbers reflect that dominance. Against Humbert, Sinner won an impressive 91% of his first serve points. With this victory, Sinner has entered elite territory. His consistency has now placed him alongside some of the greatest names in tennis history.
According to OptaAce, he became the first player since Roger Federer in 2017 to win his first 13 ATP-1000 matches of a season. This milestone underlines the level he is currently performing at.
Sinner’s remarkable run began at the Indian Wells Masters, where he defeated João Fonseca, Alexander Zverev, and Daniil Medvedev on his way to the title.
He carried that momentum into the Miami Open, where he lifted the trophy again. By doing so, he became only the eighth man in history to complete the ‘Sunshine Double.’
Back in 2017, Federer also began his season dominantly. He captured his fifth Australian Open title and continued his form in Indian Wells, defeating Nick Kyrgios and Stan Wawrinka.
At the Miami Open that year, Federer defeated Rafael Nadal to complete the Sunshine Double. His run remains one of the most iconic stretches in modern tennis. Interestingly, Federer chose to skip the clay-court Masters events that followed. He did not play in Monte Carlo, Madrid, or Rome that season.
Instead, he returned later at the Canadian Open. There, he reached the final but eventually lost to Alexander Zverev, closing that chapter of his remarkable year.
2. Grigor Dimitrov’s 14-year streak ends
On April 2, 2012, Grigor Dimitrov reentered the Top 100 in the ATP rankings after earning his first Top 10 win over Tomas Berdych at the Miami Open. That victory marked the beginning of a long and consistent rise.
Over the next 14 years, Dimitrov remained inside the elite bracket without dropping out. During that period, he climbed as high as World No. 3, establishing himself among the game’s top names.
However, that remarkable streak is now coming to an end. With quarterfinal points to defend at the Monte Carlo Masters, his difficult 2026 season continued with a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 loss to Tomas Martin Etcheverry in the first round.
The defeat left Dimitrov with a 2-7 record for the year. His drop from the Top 100 is also influenced by time missed last season due to injury setbacks.
He played only one match at the Paris Masters after suffering a pectoral muscle injury while leading Jannik Sinner by two sets in the fourth round of Wimbledon. With the French Open cutoff approaching, Dimitrov will now require a wild card to enter the tournament.
3. Luciano Darderi’s cold handshake with Hubert Hurkacz
Hubert Hurkacz made a strong start to the 2026 season after returning from a knee injury, showing promising form early on. However, his momentum dipped after helping Poland secure the United Cup title, and his results began to slide.
The struggles became more visible at the Miami Open, where Hurkacz suffered his seventh consecutive defeat. That disappointing run eventually led to his split from coach Nicolas Massu, marking a significant change in his camp.
Arriving at the Monte Carlo Masters, Hurkacz was searching for his first win in 77 days. The challenge looked even tougher given that clay has traditionally been his weakest surface, as it reduces the effectiveness of his powerful serve.
The draw did him no favors either, as he was matched against 15th seed Luciano Darderi. Darderi thrives on clay and has won all five of his ATP titles on the surface over the past year.
Despite the odds, Hurkacz produced a resilient performance to claim a 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-1 victory. After the match, when Darderi sliced a ball that failed to cross the net, both players approached the net to shake hands, though Darderi appeared visibly stressed and quickly completed the gesture without exchanging words before acknowledging the chair umpire.
This win marked Hurkacz’s first victory since January, when he defeated Zizou Bergs in the opening round of the Australian Open. He is now set to face Fábián Marozsán in his Round of 32 clash.
4. Alex De Minaur takes revenge over Cameron Norrie within a month in a Hard-Fought duel
The contrasting journeys of Alex de Minaur and Cameron Norrie were clearly visible during their second-round clash at the Monte Carlo Masters. Both players battled their own limitations, yet neither showed any willingness to back down.
In the end, British number one Norrie suffered a second-round exit after a hard-fought three-set defeat. He lost to fifth seed De Minaur 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-2 in a match that swung in momentum throughout.
After narrowly losing the opening set in a tie-break, Norrie responded strongly. He won five consecutive games to shift control and force the match into a deciding set.
However, De Minaur regained composure at the right moment. The Australian broke serve twice early in the final set and maintained his advantage to close out the match.
This win meant more for Alex de Minaur as he avenged his recent loss to Cameron Norrie at the Indian Wells Masters. After the match, he posted on Instagram, saying, “First clay win 
. What a battle! Always a tough one against Cam. See you guys on thursday 
”.
The victory reflected both relief and momentum heading deeper into the tournament. The Aussie will now face either Flavio Cobolli or Alexander Blockx in the Round of 16.
5. Unstoppable Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz responded strongly after a disappointing American swing, producing a confident win over Sebastian Baez at the Monte Carlo Masters. He remained in control throughout the second-round match and secured a comfortable 6-1, 6-3 victory.
Alcaraz, who is aiming to win a second consecutive title in Monaco, admitted after the match that he could lose the world number one ranking to Jannik Sinner. Even with that possibility, his performance showed no signs of hesitation or pressure.
Instead, the Spaniard played with clarity and confidence, refusing to let external factors affect his mindset. His dominant display against Baez reflected both composure and intent.
There was another reason for Alcaraz to feel satisfied. According to OptaAce, he has now reached 14 consecutive wins on clay, matching his longest winning streak at the ATP level on this surface.
This record traces back to last season, when he claimed back-to-back titles at the Italian Open and French Open. He had previously achieved the same 14-match streak in 2022 between the Barcelona Open and Roland Garros, winning Barcelona and the Madrid Open before losing to Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz now has the chance to surpass that record in his next match. He will face either Tomas Martin Etcheverry or Terence Atmane in the third round, and a win there would set up a fourth-round clash with one of Jiri Lehecka, Alejandro Tabilo, Gael Monfils, or Alexander Bublik.
