It is well known that Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are two of the top-ranked professionals in the tennis world. When they are at the top of their game, it is hard to match their levels on the court, as opponents usually find out. So, one could imagine the quality of tennis that would be on display concerning the matches that they play against each other.
Jannik Sinner in a recent interview after he clinched the title at the China Open, got candid about his rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz. He opined, “Every time when I play against him, I feel like we both try & push ourselves to the limit. Both of us obviously hate losing, especially against each other…..”. But, he was quick to add that they share a very good relationship off the court, and are like good friends.
Jannik Sinner says him & Carlos Alcaraz hate losing against each other:
“Every time when I play against him, I feel like we both try & push ourselves to the limit. Both of us obviously hate losing, especially against each other. We have a very good relationship off court. I feel… pic.twitter.com/OB8PiKeKaM
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 7, 2023
However, the Italian stressed, “..but still on court you feel a little bit nervous because you want to win. You hate losing…..”. Emphasizing the fact that they are still very young in their careers, Sinner added that the fact that they are being watched by so many people has a bearing on how they take to the game.
According to him, it is indeed a huge pleasure for him to be sharing court space with Alcaraz, and he always looks forward to matches with top players. He concluded that when he gets to play the best players in the world, he can get a better idea of the areas he can improve concerning his game and gauge himself better.
Jannik Sinner enjoys a record against Carlos Alcaraz that not many people can boast about
Needless to say, the matches involving these two have been blockbusters, with both players going toe-to-toe with each other. The matches are predominantly contested on an even keel with no easy points on offer. This effectively means viewers get full value for their money, thus drawing more audience towards the sport.
So expectations were naturally high when the two met in the semi-finals of the China Open. Though Alcaraz broke Sinner early, parity was restored soon by the Italian. Sinner then took the first set in a tie-break, 7-4. The next set saw Jannik run away with the proceedings, losing just a solitary game to close out the match, 7-6(4),6-1.
What this win means is that Sinner leads Alcaraz 4-3 in head-to-head comparison. This stat bears significance due to the fact, that the Italian is the first player to record four wins against the Spaniard on the ATP tour. The victory in the China Open has also catapulted Jannik to a career-high ranking of No.4 in the world.
Soon we’ll be treated to Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner Chapter 7
2 gifted, strong, likable young men who are changing the game
They always give us a glimpse of what the future of tennis could look like
If it looks anything like this, I’m there
🇮🇹🇪🇸
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 2, 2023
Both of them will be seen in action at the Shanghai Masters. To the delight of the spectators, they were drawn into different sections, which effectively meant they could only meet in the final.
Hopefully, both the young guns don’t fail to enthrall, thus promising more tennis of the highest order. With age on their side, this rivalry has all the makings of a classic in the years to come.