Carlos Alcaraz has faced some of his hardest matches against Jannik Sinner, but he feels lucky to compete with the Italian player. The two tennis stars clashed for the 11th time at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia, though this match won’t officially count in their ATP records. Sinner emerged victorious with scores of 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 and took home the largest prize money ever awarded in tennis.
Their rivalry continues to grow more intense and exciting. They first played each other nearly three years ago at the Paris Masters where Alcaraz won easily. Since then, they’ve had many close encounters. Sinner won their first final at the Croatia Open and also beat Alcaraz during their first Grand Slam face-off at Wimbledon. However, Alcaraz got his revenge by defeating Sinner in an epic US Open match on his way to winning the title in 2022.
This year has seen thrilling matches between them too! Before meeting again at the Six Kings Slam, they battled it out at Indian Wells Open, French Open, and China Open—all going to a deciding set with Alcaraz coming out on top each time. Fans might think this rivalry is one of the most exciting things happening in tennis right now.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| es Carlos Alcaraz | 21 | 68,791 | 25 - 5 |
Friendly Rivals:
Unlike some past fierce rivalries like Sampras vs. Agassi or Federer vs. Djokovic’s early days, there’s no bad blood between these two players. In fact, before their latest showdown at Six Kings Slam, Alcaraz even called Sinner “the best player in the world.” Both players often talk about how much they push themselves when facing each other.
After losing to Sinner in Saudi Arabia—where $6 million was up for grabs—Alcaraz expressed gratitude for having such a strong competitor like Sinner around: “I want to say I’m grateful to have him around on tour,” he said. “Thanks to him I push myself to the limit… It’s great every time I face him.”
When asked about what lies ahead over the next decade due to their ongoing rivalry, Alcaraz hoped it would remain interesting and promised to keep practicing hard: “Well I hope so,” he replied confidently.
Both young stars have dominated ATP tournaments this year by splitting four Grand Slams between them while other players try hard to break through that dominance! What do you think about this friendly competition?
