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Jannik Sinner leapfrogged Carlos Alcaraz to reclaim top spot in the ATP rankings after a straight-sets victory over the Spaniard in the Monte-Carlo Masters final.

The Italian prevailed 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 in a thrilling championship match that lasted two-and-a-quarter hours, maintaining his perfect record in this season's ATP Masters series.

Sinner was slow out of the blocks with Alcaraz breaking him in his opening service game on the way to a 2-0 lead.

However, the four-time Major winner responded immediately and kept pace with the defending champion in an epic opening set, before finding another gear in the tie-break to draw first blood.

Alcaraz broke again in game three of the second set for an early 3-1 advantage as he looked to force his way back into the match.

Once more, though, Sinner hit back to make it 3-3. The Italian then broke in game eight to move within one of victory, which he secured with the first of two championship points – adding to his triumphs at Indian Wells and Miami.

"We came here just trying to get as many matches as possible before other big tournaments coming up. Today was a very high level from both of us," Sinner said in an on-court interview.

"It was a bit windy, breezy – completely different conditions the tournament has brought until today.

"The result [is] amazing, getting back to number one means a lot to me. At the same time, as I always say, the ranking is secondary. I'm very happy to win at least one big trophy on this surface."

Sinner has became only the second player since the format's introduction in 1990 to win at Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo during the same season, after Novak Djokovic in 2015.

He is also just the second player, after Alcaraz himself, to defeat the ATP No.1 in finals on multiple surfaces.

Sinner is also the third player in history to win four straight ATP Masters events, after Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

"It's impressive what you are achieving right now ... Just one man in the Open Era won the Sunshine Double and then Monte Carlo, and you are the second one to achieve it," Alcaraz said to Sinneras he accepted his runner-up prize.

"It's something incredible and I just experienced how difficult it is to make that happen. So congratulations for everything, for the work you are doing with your team."