Carlos Alcaraz has admitted that Jannik Sinner occupies a prominent place in his mind during practice sessions. The two young tennis stars have already established a thrilling rivalry, having split the Grand Slam titles between them last year.
Their next showdown could be at the Australian Open, where they are on track to meet in what would be their first Major final. At just 21 and 23 years old, Alcaraz and Sinner have already faced each other 10 times in their burgeoning careers, with both securing multiple Grand Slam titles and reaching the world No. 1 ranking.
Alcaraz leads their head-to-head with six victories to Sinner’s four, winning all three of their 2024 encounters. However, they have yet to clash in a Grand Slam final, the closest being their semi-final battle at last year’s French Open. Now, with both players in opposite halves of the Australian Open draw, a championship match between them is a real possibility.
Reflecting on their rivalry, Alcaraz, currently ranked No. 3 in the world, shared how Sinner’s success motivates him. “If I have a bad day against Jannik, there’s a 99 per cent chance I’m going to lose,” said the four-time Major winner. “That’s what’s in my mind every time I play against him. But seeing him win titles and reach the top drives me to work even harder.”
Alcaraz revealed that he often thinks about Sinner during training, focusing on what he needs to improve to compete with his Italian rival. “In practice, I’m constantly thinking about the areas I need to sharpen to face him. Having this rivalry pushes me to give my best every day,” he added.
This isn’t the first time Alcaraz has drawn inspiration from a rival. At the end of 2023, when Novak Djokovic reclaimed the No. 1 ranking and won three of the four Grand Slams, Alcaraz admitted that Djokovic’s dominance was always on his mind. “I came to every tournament with extra motivation to try to get back to No. 1,” Alcaraz said at the time.
