Carlos Alcaraz hoping Jannik Sinner rivalry is 'like Rafa and Roger'

Carlos Alcaraz - US Open 2023 and Jannik Sinner - Miami Open 2023

October 7, 2023

ATP Tennis Players, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, Tennis News

Carlos Alcaraz hoping Jannik Sinner rivalry is ‘like Rafa and Roger’

Carlos Alcaraz has reinstated his hope to emulate Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s head-to-head, despite Jannik Sinner shutting down talks of their rivalry just last month.

Alcaraz is preparing to play at the Shanghai Masters for the first time in his career, following his semi-final defeat in Beijing to the aforementioned Sinner.

And the Spaniard has revealed his wish to continue this rivalry when speaking to Tennis TV, “Well, honestly, it could be great if it’s like Rafa and Roger.

The Wimbledon champion continued, “It would be the dream of ourselves and of course from the tennis fans I think. But I don’t know. Rafa and Roger, Roger and [Novak] Djokovic, Djokovic and Rafa, whatever it is.

“We [Alcaraz and Sinner] have a good rivalry honestly. I’m a guy who doesn’t want to lose in every match but obviously against him, as I said, it’s different. I feel different. So every time that I beat him or I lose against him is kind of different for me. But it’s something that I learn from every match that we’ve played against each other.”

Sinner had actually tried to diminish talks of this rivalry prior to the China Open, where he went onto win the ninth title of his career.

The Italian claimed that Alcaraz’s rivalry with Novak Djokovic was ‘the biggest’ on the ATP Tour, “Look, at the moment it’s tough to talk about this rivalry because I feel he [Alcaraz] has won so many things at the moment.”

The world No.4 added, “He has shown this. He was No.1 in the world already couple of times. I think at the moment the biggest rivalry is him and Novak. But in the other way, for sure every time when we play against, it’s a really good match. I think we both show the best out of ourselves.”

If Alcaraz and Sinner are to add a new chapter to their rivalry at their debut Shanghai Masters tournament, they will both have to reach the final as they are in opposite halves of the draw.

Inside the baseline…

Alcaraz and Sinner’s rivalry definitely feels like the rivalry to lead the ATP tour over the next decade, especially as they are both still so young. In comparison to the rivalries within ‘the big three’, they are always going to be difficult to emulate with Nadal and Federer playing a total of 40 times for example. However, there is still plenty more tennis to be played between the both of them.

Carlos Alcaraz vs Jannik Sinner head-to-head

Since arriving on the main ATP tour, Alcaraz and Sinner have played each other a total of seven times and with his latest victory the Italian has regained the advantage in their head-to-head:

Alcaraz vs Sinner: 3-4