Báez fell to unstoppable Alcaraz and exited the Monte Carlo Masters | OneFootball

A true masterclass in great tennis is what Carlos Alcaraz (No. 1 in the ATP rankings) delivered after cruising past Sebastián Báez (No. 65) 6-1, 6-3 in just 70 minutes of play in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters 1000. In this way, the world No. 1 remains in the fight to stay atop the rankings and matched a personal record.

The Spaniard showed why he is at the top of the world rankings, because against a player of the Argentine’s caliber, he gave no chance for even a remotely even contest. His surprising drop shots, down-the-line winners, and trips to the net were decisive obstacles in his rival’s path, who managed to take only four games in the entire match. The superiority of the El Palmar native was clear and overwhelming.

A great victory to begin the title defense on the right foot. A defense that could prove costly if he fails, since he would lose the top spot in the ATP rankings, leaving it in the hands of his successor, Jannik Sinner, provided he manages to advance a few more rounds.

Thus, the head-to-head between the Argentine and the Spaniard now stands at 4-0, with Báez not even having been able to take a set off the reigning Australian Open champion. In addition, he now has 18 wins so far this season and two titles to his name: the recently mentioned Grand Slam and the ATP 500 in Doha, with only two defeats on his record, against Medvedev at the Indian Wells Masters 1000 and against Sebastian Korda in Miami.

In addition, Alcaraz has now recorded 14 consecutive wins on clay if what he achieved in 2025 is included, when he won the Rome Masters 1000 and Roland Garros back-to-back. The last time he lost on this surface was almost a year ago, more precisely on April 20 in the final of the ATP 500 in Barcelona against Holger Rune (No. 29). This equals his best winning streak, achieved in 2022 when he won Barcelona and Madrid and reached the quarterfinals of Roland Garros.

As for the battle for world No. 1 in the ATP rankings, after Jannik Sinner’s victory in the first round, only 240 points separate them in the live rankings. In this way, the Italian still has a strong chance of leaving Monte Carlo as the best tennis player in the world. But he cannot relax: if Alcaraz becomes champion, he will remain there for a few more weeks.

Carlitos now awaits in the round of 16 the winner of the match between another Argentine, Tomás Etcheverry (No. 30), and Terence Atmane (No. 45). Whoever the opponent ends up being, it will be the first match he has played against either of them, opening a new H2H.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.