Carlos Alcaraz recently shared his thoughts on why he holds Jannik Sinner in high regard, particularly after the World No. 1’s return from a suspension at the 2025 Italian Open. This was the Italian’s first appearance at a tournament since he won the Australian Open earlier this year.
Following his win at the Melbourne Major, Sinner and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) settled on a three-month suspension after the former tested positive for the banned substance clostebol twice in March 2024.
Carlos Alcaraz Emotionally Makes His Feelings Known on Jannik Sinner’s Return to Court From Suspension at Italian Open 2025
This year, Alcaraz was seeded third at the Italian Open and began his campaign in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round. He defeated the likes of Dušan Lajović, Laslo Djere, Karen Khachanov, Jack Draper, and eighth seed Lorenzo Musetti. In the final, he triumphed over top seed Jannik Sinner with a score of 7–6(5), 6–1, securing his seventh Masters 1000 title and the 19th ATP title of his career.
In the post-match press conference following his win over Sinner, Alcaraz reflected on the Italian’s impressive return to the court after the three-month suspension. He expressed that it is always “tough” for athletes to compete in their first tournament after a long break.
“Well, I know the first tournament after a long period without any matches in the back is always tough. I can’t imagine how difficult it was for him because I haven’t been in his position,” Alcaraz said.
The Spaniard mentioned that he cannot fathom the idea of not being able to play despite being in good physical shape.
“I would lie if I tell that I feel him, that I understand him, because I have never been in that position to be in a good shape, to be ready physically, and not able to play a match,” he continued.
Carlos Alcaraz also praised Sinner’s performance, stating that it was “insane.”
“The level he has played in this tournament is insane after three months without playing, without any tournament. I mean, what he has done, it’s amazing. I mean, it’s something that I have to have respect on that,” Carlos Alcaraz added.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to Next Compete at French Open 2025
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will compete next at the 2025 French Open, which will take place from May 25 to June 8, 2025, at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. This year, Alcaraz will defend his title at the clay-court tournament, while Sinner will look to improve upon his semifinal performance from last year.
In 2024, Sinner entered the French Open as the second seed and began his campaign with a commanding victory over Christopher Eubanks, winning 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round. He then triumphed over wild card Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 in the second round.
He then registered a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory against Pavel Kotov, followed by a win over Corentin Moutet. He came back to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 in the third and fourth rounds, respectively, securing his place in the quarterfinals.
Here, the World No. 1 faced 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov, defeating him with a score of 6-2, 6-4, 7-6(3). However, Sinner’s run at the tournament came to an end in the semifinals, where he lost to the eventual champion, fourth seed Carlos Alcaraz, losing 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 3-6.
On the other hand, Alcaraz triumphed over lucky loser J. J. Wolf (6-1, 6-2, 6-1), qualifier Jesper de Jong (6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2), 27th seed Sebastian Korda (6-4, 7-6(5), 6-3) and 21st seed Félix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in the first four rounds to secure his place in the quarterfinals.
Here, the Spaniard faced ninth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, defeating him with a score of 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-4, and then eliminated Jannik Sinner in the semifinals to secure his place in the final. In the championship match, he faced fourth seed Alexander Zverev and emerged victorious with a scoreline of 6-3, 2-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to win the 2024 French Open, his third Grand Slam title overall.