Six-time Grand Slam singles champion Carlos Alcaraz has made his feelings clear on avoiding an encounter against Jannik Sinner in Tokyo, as the Italian is competing in Beijing.
Instead of fearing and avoiding his closest rival, Alcaraz said he revels in playing against the hard-hitting Italian.
What Does Carlos Alcaraz Really Think About His Rivalry With Jannik Sinner?
Alcaraz and Sinner, who split the four Grand Slams between them for the second consecutive year, played a cracker of a match last year at the ATP 500 tournament in Beijing, China. Alcaraz came from a set down to edge out world number one Jannik Sinner in a dramatic China Open final that ended with a 6-7 (6-8), 6-4, 7-6 (7-3).
This year, however, the duo will begin their Asian hard court swings in different countries – while Sinner will return to action in China, Alcaraz has instead opted to compete at the ATP 500 tournament in Tokyo, Japan.
Asked whether he is relieved not to face Sinner again, Alcaraz clarified that it is not the case.
Carlos Alcaraz has made it clear that avoiding Jannik Sinner was not a factor in his decision to skip the China Open in Beijing this year.
“It’s not a relief, to be honest,” Alcaraz said when asked if missing a potential clash with the Italian was a comfort. “I love playing against him. I think every time we play against each other, it helps me to be better and to increase my level, which I love.”
Instead, the Spaniard chose to compete in Tokyo, citing the desire for a new experience. “But I wanted to play in a different place, in a different [event] that I haven’t played in. That’s what I changed,” he explained.
Alcaraz added that variety was also a motivation: “It’s great playing with other players and mix the tournaments a little bit.”
What Happened When Alcaraz and Sinner Last Faced Each Other on the Tennis Court?
Alcaraz and Sinner last squared off in the final of the US Open, with Alcaraz defeating Sinner with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 score. The Spaniard became the first player since 1978 to win multiple majors on all three surfaces before turning 23.
With the win, Alcaraz improved to 10-5 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series. Following the defeat, Sinner revealed that he has been working on a few tweaks to his game.
Ahead of his opening match in Beijing, Sinner said, “We’ve been reflecting a lot on that final. We are working on new things. We are changing a lot of small things. The amount of mistakes at the moment is for sure a little bit higher, but I hope that this recovers.”
The Italian defeated the Spaniard in the Wimbledon final in July. The duo could face each other again in October at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai.
