With seven of the world’s top 10 players set to compete, the 2026 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters promises a highly competitive week on the clay.
On Friday evening at the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, the official draw for the 2026 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters set the tone for what promises to be an exceptional tournament. Assisted by Monaco’s own Valentin Vacherot, the ceremony unveiled a singles bracket featuring seven of the current top 10 players in the world.
All eyes will be on Carlos Alcaraz, who returns to Monaco looking to retain both his title and the world No. 1 ranking. Jannik Sinner, seeded second, also arrives fresh off his wins in Miami and Indian Wells, placing him firmly among the favourites for the title.
The draw also features several former champions capable of making deep runs on the clay. Among them is Stefanos Tsitsipas, whose record in Monte-Carlo speaks for itself. The Greek star is a three-time winner of the tournament and has consistently thrived in Monaco’s conditions.
For the first time, Monegasque player Valentin Vacherot enters the Monte-Carlo Masters without relying on a wild card. Following his Shanghai title in 2025 and a strong opening stretch to the 2026 season, Vacherot will be aiming to deliver a memorable run in front of his home crowd.
In total, 56 singles players are set to compete in this year’s tournament, with the draw confirming another elite setup for one of the most prestigious stops on the calendar.
The Rouge et Blanc have responded to their recent setback with a decisive home win, strengthening their position at the top of the Fédérale 2 standings.
Following their recent loss to RO Grasse, AS Monaco Rugby had something to prove in their return home against Avignon-Le Pontet. Facing second place in the standings on Sunday 29th March, the stakes were high and the margin for error was minimal.
In a battle amongst leaders, Monaco delivered, securing a 38–27 victory and reinforcing their position at the top of the leaderboard. This win marks an important comeback from the Rouge et Blanc as they regain momentum at a pivotal point in the season.
In a tough battle in front of their home crowd, Monaco made the difference in key moments, combining attacking precision with composure under pressure. By converting their opportunities into results, the team proved decisive in a well-fought battle.
Although Avignon-Le Pontet proved their resilience and quality, they were unable to maintain the competitive edge needed to challenge AS Monaco.
MOMENTUM ACROSS THE CLUB
Beyond the seniors, the club continued to build on this positive momentum across all levels. The U21s recorded a 25-0 win by forfeit, while the U12s impressed in the Top League in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue with four wins. Off the pitch, AS Monaco Rugby has also received international visibility with recent recognition at Europa-Park in Germany, further reinforcing their long-term ambitions.
With momentum building and the Fédérale 2 season entering its crucial phase, AS Monaco Rugby will look to build on this result. With playoff contention intensifying, each upcoming match will bear additional weight. The coming weeks will prove critical in determining whether the Rouge et Blanc can maintain consistency and bring their leadership into the playoffs.
AS Monaco Basket suffered a 101-91 defeat to Dubai on Thursday night, falling short in a competitive EuroLeague matchup as the Roca Team continues its push for a playoff spot.
Facing another direct contender while operating with a reduced rotation, Monaco delivered an impressive performance but ultimately struggled to contain an efficient Dubai side led by Dzanan Musa. The Bosnian guard recorded 25 points and 10 assists, leading a consistently effective offense.
Monaco matched Dubai’s intensity for much of the game, as Alpha Diallo and Kevarrius Hayes each contributed 17 points, while Matthew Strazel added a career-high 13 assists in a composed performance. Elie Okobo reset the score heading into halftime with a buzzer-beater, sending the teams into the second half level at 47-47.
The teams traded momentum in a contest defined by scoring runs and defensive adjustments. Monaco remained within reach early in the fourth quarter, but Dubai pulled away with a decisive 12-point lead in the final minutes.
The physical toll of an eight-man rotation became increasingly evident as the game progressed. Monaco’s shooting efficiency (47.14%) fell short of Dubai’s 56.52%, showcasing the impact of fatigue when facing a well-balanced opponent.
PLAYOFF PRESSURE INTENSIFIES
With only three regular-season games remaining, Monaco now holds a record of 19-16, leaving little margin for error in the final push for a playoff spot. After coming close to the title last season, the pressure remains on to deliver in the final stretch.
The Roca Team returns to Salle Gaston Médecin next week for a pivotal double-header, hosting ASVEL and FC Barcelona in what could prove decisive in their pursuit of the playoffs.
Monaco’s National Council opened its spring session on Thursday 2 April with the re-election of Thomas Brezzo as president and Jean-Louis Grinda as vice-president, marking the first session since the formation of a new minority group within the chamber.
Brezzo received 20 votes in the secret ballot, with four blank ballots recorded. Jean-Louis Grinda was elected vice-president with 21 votes in his favour and three blanks.
The session was the first to reflect the new political configuration of the Hémicycle, following the departure of three former majority councillors — Régis Bergonzi, Roland Mouflard and Brigitte Boccone-Pagès — who have formed the minority group En Avant Monaco.
Maryse Battaglia during Thursday night’s session. Photo source: Conseil National de Monaco
Maryse Battaglia, who presided over the opening of the session as the chamber’s most senior member, addressed the new dynamic directly. “A minority is a sign of democratic good health, provided the rules of the game are respected. I want to believe that our minority will be a force of contradiction, without becoming a force of paralysis. Disagreement keeps a chamber alive; obstruction freezes it,” she said.
In his address following re-election, Brezzo reflected on the changed composition of the chamber. “It is a choice made by former colleagues whom I respect and which, in my view, will elevate our debates and reinforce the democratic character of the decisions we take here,” he said, adding that the spirit of Monaco’s constitutional monarchy was not to organise a sterile battle between majority and opposition, but to allow the assembly, in the diversity of its composition, to establish the conditions for constructive dialogue with the government.
Grinda, a former minority councillor himself, closed on a similar note. “What brings us together is certainly much stronger than what divides us. Despite our disagreements, we were all working for the common good.”
A sculptural dining pavilion designed by Zaha Hadid in collaboration with Patrick Schumacher — one of a strictly limited number ever produced — will be offered at auction in Monaco on Wednesday 8th April, with an estimate of between €900,000 and €1.1 million.
The work, titled the Signature Volu Dining Pavilion and listed as lot 571, is being presented by Hermitage Fine Art at its design auction. It represents one of the rarer opportunities to acquire a three-dimensional object from Hadid’s practice, which is better known for buildings than collectible design pieces.
The object and its origins
The Volu Pavilion was originally commissioned for Design Miami in 2015 as part of the Revolution Project, an initiative exploring advanced design and fabrication technologies for the creation of efficient living environments. A separate example was later commissioned for the amfAR charity in 2016 — shortly before Hadid’s death that April — and it is this version, distinguished by its unique colourway, that comes to auction in Monaco.
Despite its apparently monolithic appearance, the structure is built from a complex assembly of irregularly shaped polygonal panels cut by laser and integrated into a steel armature. Continuous bands converge on a central spine before extending upward, producing what the practice describes as a dynamic and immersive spatial experience. Every element was numerically optimised through parametric design to minimise material use while meeting fabrication constraints — a working demonstration of the computational design methodology that Zaha Hadid Architects has developed since founding its research group co|de in 2007.
The lot includes a matching table and benches, extending the formal language of the pavilion into functional furniture.
Who was Zaha Hadid
Hadid remains one of the most decorated architects of the modern era. She was awarded the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2004 — the first woman to receive it — followed by the Stirling Prize in both 2010 and 2011. In 2012 she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and in 2015 became the first woman to receive the RIBA Gold Medal in her own right. Her practice, founded in 1979, produced some of the most recognisable buildings of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, among them the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, the London Aquatics Centre built for the 2012 Olympic Games, and the MAXXI Museum in Rome.
The Volu Pavilion auction takes place at Hermitage Fine Art in Monaco on 8th April. Shipping, installation and applicable taxes are at the buyer’s expense. The work is subject to artist’s resale right.
A British chef working aboard the 33-metre M/Y Canvas has taken the top prize at the seventh edition of the Superyacht Chef Competition, held at the Yacht Club de Monaco on Thursday 2nd April.
Aaron Thomas, a former UK MasterChef contestant, beat eight other competitors with a two-part lobster dish — a plate served with asparagus and a morel fricassee, followed by a bisque. “The most difficult aspect was the pace: producing several dishes in a very short time while adapting to the basket of mystery ingredients,” he said after his win.
A format designed to replicate life at sea
The competition, organised by the Yacht Club de Monaco’s La Belle Classe Academy training centre in partnership with Bluewater, is structured to reflect the real constraints of cooking aboard a yacht. After the mystery basket of ingredients was revealed, contestants had five minutes to devise a recipe and 40 minutes to prepare and plate it. Finalists were given 80 minutes to produce both a main course and a dessert. A surprise ingredient selected by the public was added at the last minute, and a strict no-wastage rule applied throughout.
The nine finalists who competed for the prize were Beatrice Cordy from M/Y Nectar (65m), Gaia Botturi from M/Y Madame Kate (60m), Tony Triest from M/Y Barbara (88.5m), David Kempsey from S/Y Sagitta (46m), Baptiste Liquito from M/Y Infinity Nine (35m), Milan Popovic from M/Y Smiley (35m), Thomas from M/Y Canvas (33m), Alex Saimbene from M/Y Moka (50m) and Ilija Gojkovic from M/Y Emocean (38m).
The jury deliberated aboard M/Y Shockwave (28.7m), moored in the YCM marina and currently undergoing SEA Index certification for its composite construction, which reduces fuel consumption by 50% compared to a vessel of comparable size.
Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti
A star-studded jury
The jury was chaired by Philippe Etchebest, two-Michelin-star chef and Meilleur Ouvrier de France, who reflected on what the competition reveals about the profession. “It requires considerable organisation and foresight. When you’re at sea for several weeks without being able to get supplies in, you have to think of everything, including unforeseen events. I have huge admiration for these professionals,” he said.
He was joined on the panel by Marcel Ravin, holder of three Michelin stars across Blue Bay and Elsa restaurant at the Monte-Carlo Beach hotel; Carlo Cracco, a Michelin-starred figure in Italian cuisine; Duncan Biggs, co-founder of Oceanwave Monaco and a superyacht chef; Jeeny Maltese, a presenter specialising in Latin American cuisines; and Tim Mälzer, German restaurateur and television presenter.
Photo credit: Cassandra Tanti
Behind the scenes, the contest was coordinated by chef Philippe Joannès, Meilleur Ouvrier de France and culinary consultant to the YCM, alongside events chef Simon Ganache and Frédéric Ramos, president of the Monaco Goût & Saveurs association. Students from Monaco’s hotel and catering school also participated, gaining direct exposure to the realities of the profession.
The evening before the competition, around 20 chefs attended the Grand Chefs Dinner at the YCM, with Prince Albert II of Monaco — president of the club — among those present.
YCM Director and General Secretary Bernard d’Alessandri said the competition had grown steadily since its launch. “In the last seven years we’ve noted a growing enthusiasm for this contest, both from professionals keen to test their skills ashore, and the public who turn up every year to watch. Our ambition is to showcase the diverse range of careers in yachting, a sector with a promising future, especially for young generations.”
