Monte-Carlo Masters: Carlos Alcaraz wins 14th successive match on clay
What's the story
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz made a much-awaited return to clay, winning his opening match at the 2026 Monte-Carlo Masters. He defeated Sebastian Baez in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 on Court Rainier III. The match lasted just 70 minutes and saw Alcaraz break Baez's serve five times. According to Opta, Alcaraz won his 14th consecutive match on clay courts. Here are the key stats.
Tournament outlook
How Alcaraz surprised himselfÂ
Alcaraz was competing on clay for the first time since his epic 2025 French Open final against Jannik Sinner. According to ATP, he finished with a 25-1 record on clay last year. "To be honest, I surprised myself with the level. I thought I was going to play a little bit worse, I would say, but I'm just happy with everything I've done today," the Spaniard said after the match.
Record
Record win for Alcaraz
Alcaraz is now unbeaten in his last 14 clay-court matches. According to Opta, this is his joint-longest streak on the surface, also between Barcelona and Roland Garros in 2022. As mentioned, Alcaraz dramatically won the 2025 French Open final against Sinner. The five-set thriller saw him rally back from two sets down and save multiple match points.
Information
Monte-Carlo Masters defening champion
It is worth noting that Alcaraz is also the defending champion at the Monte-Carlo Masters. He won the 2025 edition after beating Lorenzo Musetti in the final. The Spaniard had bounced back after losing the first set.