It’s a fight on the court. Not outside. Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz traveled together, on the same plane, to Shanghai after their intense duel in the final in Beijing, flanked by their respective teams. “It’s nice that we’re rivals on the court but friends off the court“, the Italian told ATP Media on Friday. He obviously doesn’t hold too much grudge against his best “enemy” of the moment, who has still just beaten him for the third time in three confrontations in 2024.
Sinner is the undisputed number one in world tennis mathematically, but against Alcaraz, he does not rule the roost. This third act hurts, first because it was a final, then because of the appearance (7-6 in the third set having led 3-0 in the tie-break before collapsing and losing the last seven points) and finally because the Transalpine remained on a remarkable series of victories, he who had not known defeat since Montreal a month and a half ago before winning in quick succession in Cincinnati and US Open.
Alcaraz knocks down Sinner after a breathtaking duel: the match summary
It won’t take much more for some to end up attaching a “yes but” above Jannik Sinner’s head. For his part, it doesn’t stop him from sleeping yet, especially since he has other concerns in mind with this appeal from the AMA which installs a sword on him of Damocles above his head But he admits to getting up in the morning thinking about the best possible way to solve the Spanish equation If the two men were to meet again this fall, which is anything but impossible, the pressure. would be maximum on the shoulders of number one.
I wake up in the morning trying to figure out what the best I can do to try and beat him
Despite everything, he wants to thank Alcaraz more than to curse him. “I feel, at least I speak for myself, that he pushes me to become better“, explains the winner of the last US Open. “Yes, I wake up in the morning trying to figure out what I can do best to try to beat him next time and that’s something I really like, as a player“, he adds.
With already ten joint confrontations on the clock despite their young age (23 years old for Sinner, 21 for Alcaraz), they are undoubtedly set to make their rivalry the hub of men’s tennis, at least in the short term. He sees as many points in common in life with the Murcian as there are differences on the court. “Off the field, we are very similarevokes Sinner. We like to stay with our loved ones, our team. There are really many, many points in common..”
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On the other hand, once in player uniforms, both transform in very different ways. “We are no longer the samecontinues the Italian. He’s the one who brings the firepower, the hot shots, the one who involves the audience. He’s a little different. I am more of a solid player, rather calm. So we can say a little that he is the fire and I am the ice. But it’s a good combination.” Tennis, in search of new lasting and striking opposition while the Big 3 gradually fades away, is not complaining, in fact.
Although he will not seek to become someone else, Jannik Sinner believes he can draw inspiration from certain elements of what Carlos Alcaraz offers. “Everyone is different, but I think I have to take things from him as a player“, he said. What is the world number one thinking? “Maybe try different shots from time to time, I feel like it will help me grow as a player.” A hell of a dose of modesty from a champion with two Grand Slams under his arm in 2024 and a substantial lead in the world rankings. But who has just suffered three failures against this big stone in his shoe…
