Carlos Alcaraz battles back from a set down to defeat Lorenzo Musetti and claim his sixth ATP Masters 1000 title

Carlos Alcaraz roared back from a shaky start to secure the Monte Carlo Masters title, brushing aside Lorenzo Musetti 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 and ending a challenging month with a powerful reminder of his champion’s resolve.

The 21-year-old Spaniard, who had struggled for consistency in recent weeks, showed why he’s already a four-time Grand Slam winner. After a tentative and error-strewn opening set, Alcaraz rediscovered his rhythm and turned on the style to demolish Musetti in the final two sets.

“It’s been a really difficult month for me on and off the court,” Alcaraz admitted afterwards. “But I’m really proud of how I handled everything this week. All the hard work paid off, and I’m so happy to lift this trophy.”

The opening set was an arm-wrestle that swung unexpectedly in Musetti’s favour. The Italian, playing in his first Masters 1000 final, cancelled out an early break before rattling off four consecutive games. His variety and flair left Alcaraz frustrated, the highlight coming with a ridiculous drop-shot winner from behind the baseline to seal the set.

Alcaraz’s unforced error count hit 14 in the opener, 11 from his normally reliable forehand, but he emerged after the break with renewed focus and aggression. A missed Musetti forehand handed him a break early in the second, prompting a fiery “Vamos!” from the Spaniard and signalling the start of a momentum shift.

The defending French Open champion surged into a 5-0 lead, striking his backhand with deadly precision and energising the Monte Carlo crowd with his athletic shot-making. Musetti, for his part, wasn’t going down without a fight. He manufactured five break-back points as Alcaraz served for the set, but the Spaniard held firm, clinching an eight-minute game to level the match.

Unfortunately for Musetti, his challenge faltered physically in the decider. Struggling with a right thigh injury, he took a medical timeout at 3-0 down but was clearly restricted in movement. Alcaraz needed no second invitation, racing through the final games with ruthless efficiency.

As he sealed the win with a final forehand winner, Alcaraz raised his arms in triumph, then quickly crossed the net to console his beaten opponent.

The title, his sixth ATP Masters 1000 trophy and 18th career title, caps a crucial confidence boost for Alcaraz ahead of his French Open title defence next month. It also marks his first Masters win since Indian Wells in 2024 and signals a return to form after a wobbly hard-court season.

Alcaraz lost to Jack Draper in the Indian Wells semi-finals and suffered a shock early exit in Miami at the hands of David Goffin. But this performance, gritty and composed in the face of early adversity, suggests the young star has rediscovered his competitive edge just in time for the clay-court season.

His triumph in Monte Carlo also guarantees a return to the No. 2 spot in the ATP rankings, leapfrogging Germany’s Alexander Zverev when the new list is published on Monday.

Elsewhere, the men’s doubles final saw British pair Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool edged out in a tight battle by home favourite Romain Arneodo and France’s Manuel Guinard. After taking the first set 6-1, the Brits fell 7-6 (10-8), 10-8 in the deciding match tiebreak.

But the day belonged to Alcaraz, who once again proved why he remains the most electrifying young talent in men’s tennis—especially when adversity strikes.