Jannik Sinner Gives Update on Clay Schedule After Winning the Sunshine Double

Jannik Sinner to kick off his clay-court swing at the Monte Carlo Masters next week.

Jannik Sinner Gives Update on Clay Schedule After Winning the Sunshine Double

Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Quindici Zero)

Jannik Sinner completed the Sunshine Double after winning the Miami Open without dropping a set. The World No.2 has now won 12 matches in a month but has only seven days to rest, recover, and prepare for the clay-court season, which starts at the Monte Carlo Masters on April 6 in Monaco.

Sinner has not won a clay court title in four years, which is worrying considering how many titles he has lifted on the hard court. The last time he won a title on clay was at the Croatia Open in 2022. He has been to several finals on the red dirt since the 2024 season but has been denied a title on two occasions by his arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz.

The Italian star will enter the Monte Carlo Masters with no points to defend which will give him a bit of freedom at the event. However, he will defend more than 1,900 points during the clay-court season, while his rival Alcaraz defends over 4,300 points. However, Alcaraz often plays his best tennis on clay and grass.

For the past two seasons, he has won several titles on clay and grass, including the French Open in 2024 and 2025. But for Sinner, the clay court looks like a tricky surface for him due to his style of play. He often uses his serve as his lethal weapon on the court, but on clay, it is more about the movement and the spin of the ball.

Also, considering that Sinner reached two finals in a month and has just a few days to smoothly transition from hard court to clay, he might struggle with fatigue or cramps during the Monte Carlo Masters. During his post-match press conference in Miami, he admitted that he wants to enjoy his Sunshine Double triumph and might play in the doubles event in Monte Carlo:

I want to enjoy this win, otherwise we never stop. On Thursday, we’ll try to go back on clay, if I physically feel good, for now I’m good. And then we’ll see, for sure playing doubles can help me feel the conditions in Monaco. On clay, the serve, you need to use it in a very different way. You cannot go only flat. Let’s see how that works. But at the moment, I also want to enjoy this moment.

Sinner holds an excellent 81.3 percent winning rate on hard court, but has just 71 percent on clay. The last time he reached a final on clay was at the 2025 French Open, where he led Alcaraz on two sets before allowing the Spaniard to get back into the match and claim the win. Meanwhile, Alcaraz holds an 82 percent win rate on clay and has lost just 19 matches on the surface.

Jannik Sinner excited after completing the Sunshine Double

Jannik Sinner produced a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jiri Lehecka at the Miami Open final, which was halted halfway due to rain. Despite the conditions, Sinner remained focused on the task and saved three break points. Sinner became the first men’s player since Roger Federer in 2017 to complete the Sunshine Double.

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (Image via Vogue)

Sinner, who won 34 consecutive sets played at Masters 1000 tournaments, joins Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in being the only players to win three Masters titles in a row since the series was introduced in 1990. During the trophy ceremony, Sinner revealed that reaching the final of the Indian Wells and the Miami Open is incredible:

Making the Sunshine Double here for the first time, it’s incredible. It’s something I would have never thought, because it’s difficult to achieve, and we made it somehow, so I’m very happy. I tried to stay solid in very different conditions today, it was very heavy so it’s tough to go through the player. I tried to stay solid in important moments and I’m very happy to take this [trophy] home with me.

The Miami Open is Sinner’s 23rd title of the season. In 2024, he won eight tour-level crowns, last year he lifted six trophies. This season, he’s just four titles away from his 2025 tally and looks poised to surpass his 2024 tally. However, the clay and grass seasons will determine how many titles he wins this year.

Also Read: (Video) Jannik Sinner Speaks Spanish to Thank Latin American Fans After Conquering Sunshine Double