Jannik Sinner has been advised to forget about the “frenzy” of the battle to be No 1 and instead focus on the “real objective” of Roland Garros.

Both Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are playing in Monaco this week with the possibility of becoming No 1 by the end of it after the Italian won the Sunshine double and closed the gap to his long-time rival.

Should Sinner reach the semi-final then Alcaraz would need to win the tournament to ensure he remains No 1 come the end of it, meaning there could be a winner-takes-all final between the No 1 and No 2 seed.

However, former pro Paolo Bertolucci told his countryman to not focus on the race to be No 1.

“Jannik is very confident after his victories in Indian Wells and Miami, even if he might be feeling a bit tired,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “His decision to play in Monaco wasn’t a given, as he only had a few days to find the right moment and refine his technique.

“These are all elements that make the difference on clay. Monte-Carlo will also allow him to fine-tune his technique, knowing that his real objective is Roland-Garros.

“The world number one ranking is simply a consequence of results. I don’t think it’s that important. What really matters is finishing the year at the top of the ATP rankings, because there are also bonuses linked to sponsorships.

“No one can be number one all season, and I think all this frenzy around the rankings is unfounded.”

It has been two years since Sinner last featured in Monaco and Bertolucci believed the 24-year-old has grown in that time.

“Jannik Sinner has clearly grown. Week after week, he brings something more.

“These are details, subtleties, not always visible, but it’s continuous improvement to his technical arsenal.

“If we remember his serve two years ago, when everyone doubted and thought it wouldn’t lead anywhere…

“Even then, we said to stay calm: the motion was good, the timing was good, the ball toss too. It was just a matter of time and work. Few believed it. And now, this crazy serve.”

Sinner began his Monaco tournament with a 6-3, 6-0 demolition of Ugo Humbert.