Matteo Berrettini draws reactions from fans after shocking Alexander Zverev at Monte-Carlo Masters to help Jannik Sinner keep No. 1 spot

Jannik Sinner is confirmed to retain the World No. 1 spot in the ATP rankings after Alexander Zverev's shocking elimination from the Monte Carlo Masters. The German fell to Sinner's compatriot, Matteo Berrettini, in the second round, and the update garnered a wave of reactions from tennis fans online.

Sinner is currently sidelined, serving a three-month doping ban following a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The suspension began on February 9 and will end on May 4. The absence, however, did little to dent his standing at the top.

Sinner last competed at the 2025 Australian Open and held 11,830 points after the triumph, while World No. 2 Alexander Zverev trailed with 8,135 points after finishing as runner-up. The German failed to capitalize since, recording a disappointing 6-6 win-loss record, with quarterfinal runs in Rio and Buenos Aires being his best results.

Zverev had a golden opportunity to stay in contention to overtake Sinner by winning the Monte Carlo Masters. He entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed and received a first-round bye. Despite taking the first set 6–2, Zverev failed to maintain his momentum, dropping the next two sets 3–6, 5–7.

Sinner will return at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in May standing at the helm of the ATP rankings. Several fans reacted to Zverev's shocking exit from the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters, with one writing:

"Zverev makes things easy for other players :P"

A group of fans also thanked Matteo Berrettini for helping Jannik Sinner.

"Thank you for your service Matteo Berrettini 🙏," one said.

"That's all I needed to hear today. Thank you. Grazie #MatteoBerrettini," another commented.

Here are a few more reactions from the fans:

"Italian tag team, Beretini delivers the honours for Sinner to step back in the ring 💪" a fan wrote.

"We miss you Jannik! Come back soon or give us a call before Hamburg and Rome :)," another chimed in.

"The ban is turning out to be a blessing in disguise for the chap. That's a whole lot of rest time. I mean, it can also be argued that there might be levels of rust, but he is Jannik Sinner. The rust is likely to be minimal, if any. Right?" a fan weighed in.

Alexander Zverev is over 2000 points behind Jannik Sinner in the ATP rankings. While the Italian currently holds 10,330 points, the German holds 7,595 points in the ATP rankings.

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Jannik Sinner holds an impressive 7-0 win-loss record despite the doping ban

Jannik Sinner at 2025 Australian Open Men's Champion Media Opportunity - Image Source: Getty

Even while sidelined from the tour, Sinner has had a remarkable season. He showcased sheer dominance in his only appearance at the 2025 Australian Open.

The Italian began by defeating Nicolas Jarry 7-6(2), 7-6(5), 6-1 in the first round, then overcame Tristan Schoolkate 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 to reach the third round, where he got past Marcos Giron.

Sinner later defeated Holger Rune 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the fourth round and Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in the quarterfinals. The World No. 1 later outclassed USA's Ben Shelton 7-6 (2), 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals and eventually Alexander Zverev in the final 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-3 to add the third Grand Slam title in his cabinet.

The Italian will most likely return at the Rome Masters, aiming to build momentum ahead of the French Open.