In pictures: Princely Couple at Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters 2025 to crown Carlos Alcaraz and Franco-Monegasque duo Guinard-Arneodo
Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene warmly congratulate the world number 2 © Michaël Alesi / Prince's Palace
The 118th edition of the prestigious Monegasque tournament provided an exceptional scenario with the very first victory of the Spanish prince in Monte-Carlo, in the singles, but also with a historic and moving victory by the Monegasque wildcard on home soil, in the doubles. It was an ideal day, despite weather more suited to January, with Prince Albert II, Princess Charlene and Mélanie-Antoinette de Massy watching from the stands.
Although the weather was not as clement as in previous years, the 2025 edition is one for the history books. On Sunday 13 April, the grand final between Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti provided a magnificent show in front of a near-capacity crowd.
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Initially dominated by an on-form Musetti, who went on to win the first set 6-3, Alcaraz gradually raised his game, switching to diesel mode against an opponent who was gradually weakening physically.
The Spaniard turned things around in spectacular but humble fashion, winning the next two sets 6-1, 6-0, wrapping the match up in 1 hour 47 minutes. The victory gave him his first title in Monte Carlo, his sixth Masters 1000 (in seven finals) and the 18th title of his career at just 21 years of age. Twenty years on, it is Rafael Nadal’s heir who raised the prestigious Monegasque trophy.
Despite being defeated, Lorenzo Musetti, who has now moved into the world’s top 11, showed that he has what it takes to compete with the best. And given that 10,000 spectators were almost entirely green, white and red on Sunday, the Italian will no doubt remember the final for the rest of his life.
Sovereign moved to tears by Arneodo-Guinard miracle
“I had a bet that if we won the tournament, I’d get a tattoo with the M.C.C.C. logo!” These were the words of Romain Arneodo as, still in shock, he celebrated his historic victory alongside Frenchman Manuel Guinard. Among the loyal spectators, the Prince and Mélanie-Antoinette de Massy could not contain their immense joy and emotion as the duo won the final point.
Two years after losing two match points with Austria’s Weissborn, the Monegasque’s dream finally came ture as he took the title on home soil. Having received a Wild Card, the Franco-Monegasque pair had created a stir when the saw off the 5th seeds Granollers-Zeballos.
In the final against the British duo Julian Cash/Lloyd Glasspool, Arneodo and Guinard snatched victory after losing the first set 6-1 and saving two match points in the second set tie-break. In a thrilling super tie-break, it was the Monegasque who clinched the match, becoming the first player representing Monaco to win a title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.
The exploit will go down in Monegasque tennis history, and enables Manuel Guinard to follow in the footsteps of his compatriots Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, the last French winners in Monte Carlo in 2016.
