“Our Rivalry is Great”: Jannik Sinner Defends Carlos Alcaraz Amidst World No.2 Getting Slammed for Early Paris Masters Exit

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are arguably two of the best young players on the ATP Tour right now. Despite Alcaraz being a two-time Grand Slam winner, Sinner leads their head-to-head 4-3. He has won their last two match-ups in Miami and, more recently, in Beijing, respectively.

In a recent interview with ATP (via Tennis World USA), the latter recalled one of his wins over the former. Sinner recounted his journey up to the semifinals of the ATP 1000 tournament in Miami this year before revealing his thoughts about facing Alcaraz. The two youngest members of the ATP top 5 right now have a nascent competition that could develop into something iconic. With more intense fixtures like the semi-final in Miami, it could grow into the next big tennis rivalry.

Even as Carlos Alcaraz got knocked out in the Round of 32 of the Paris Masters 2023 by Roman Safuillin, Jannik Sinner spoke highly about their battles, especially the one in Miami. Sinner bagged a three-set victory in that semi-final against Alcaraz. Interestingly, the Italian claimed that the Spaniard was ‘suffering physically’ in the latter stages of the match in rough conditions.

Sinner added that the conditions were windy and not easy to play in. He had lost their previous clash in the Indian Wells Masters and said he wanted to improve on that result. Sinner played aggressively and kept serving tight and as a result, took a decisive lead against Alcaraz in the second set. He reminisced about returning a drop shot from Alcaraz and getting a point off it.

“I just tried to play my tennis aggressively from the beginning. I served really well and in the end it was a very tough match. I was ahead in the set. At one point Carlos made a drop shot, I returned it, stayed behind the line and made a cross-court pass.

“The reaction from the crowd and everyone was incredible but in the end I lost the game on serve. We both had several opportunities to win the set, but he managed to change gear and that’s what I was trying to do. The decisive set? At the beginning Alcaraz started to suffer a bit physically and I tried to give more.”

The Italian said he wanted to close the tie when serving with a 5-2 lead. Sinner succeeded in doing so, winning 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-2.

“When I was 5-2, I tried to win the last game on serve. Seeing my team’s reaction meant a lot. All the matches we have played have been of a high level, it is a great rivalry.”

Sinner would go on to lose the final against Daniil Medvedev. However, he believed it was a ‘positive’ tournament for him. He is set to face the Russian again in the final of the Vienna Open.

The budding Jannik Sinner-Carlos Alcaraz rivalry

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz’s rivalry dates back to 2019 when the duo played each other for the first time in an ATP Challenger tournament. The latter won the match, also emerging victorious in their first ATP Tour clash in 2021. They have faced each other seven times on the tour, and Sinner leads 4-3. He recently defeated Alcaraz in the semi-final of the China Open to edge ahead.

Despite the head-to-head lead, Sinner is currently playing catch-up. His best Grand Slam performance is a semi-final finish at the 2023 Wimbledon and he has a career-best ranking of No.4. His duel with Alcaraz could be the next iconic rivalry in tennis but for that, Sinner has to step up and give his best and reach for the elite levels. He will want to start by challenging for the title at the Paris Masters and the ATP Finals, where another clash with Alcaraz potentially waits.