Laila Hasanovic spotted watching Carlos Alcaraz at Monte Carlo as Jannik Sinner rivalry takes unexpected twist

It was one of those moments that made people pause. Laila Hasanovic, who is dating Jannik Sinner, was seen in the stands during Carlos Alcaraz’s match at the Monte Carlo Masters. What made it interesting was simple. She was not watching Sinner at that time. She was watching his biggest rival.

This happened during Alcaraz’s opening match at the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters. The World No. 1 looked sharp as he beat Sebastian Baez in straight sets, 6-1, 6-3. The match did not last long, just around 70 minutes, but the camera catching Hasanovic in the crowd quickly became a talking point among fans.

Carlos Alcaraz dominates Sebastian Baez as Laila Hasanovic watches while Jannik Sinner starts strong and eyes top spot

Alcaraz looked fully in control from the first game. He broke Baez’s serve five times and only slipped once on his own serve. It was a clean and confident performance, showing why he is still leading the rankings. Since he had a first-round bye, this was his first match of the tournament, and he made it count.

But the story around the match was not just about the score. Hasanovic’s presence stood out. Earlier in the day, she had already watched Sinner play his match. He defeated Ugo Humbert 6-3, 6-0 in a one-sided contest. That made her appearance later in Alcaraz’s match even more noticeable.

Right now, Sinner looks in strong form. He came into Monte Carlo after winning big titles in Indian Wells and Miami. Even though he is ranked No. 2, many feel he is playing at a higher level at the moment.

After his win, Alcaraz spoke honestly about the rankings battle with Sinner. He said, “I am going to lose No. 1 in the world at some point. I do not know if it is going to be at this tournament or another one. I am defending a lot of points that are going to be really difficult to defend. Even if I defend them, Jannik is going to add some points.”

He added, “For me the No. 1 spot is not in my mind right now. I am just trying to feel the best way on clay courts and see how the clay season goes.”

Looking ahead, Alcaraz will next face either Tomas Martin Etcheverry or Terence Atmane in the third round. On the other side, Sinner is set to play either Francisco Cerundolo or Tomas Machac.

So while both players are moving forward in the tournament, a simple moment in the stands has quietly added another layer to this growing rivalry.




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