Carlos Alcaraz has opened up about his rivalry with Jannik Sinner saying he misses seeing the Italian star on the ATP Tour. Sinner is out with injury and Alcaraz said their rivalry has helped him to grow as a tennis player.
Alcaraz and Sinner have emerged as two of the biggest names in men's tennis over the past few years, and many of them have been memorable in the biggest moments. This rivalry has also been closely followed in tennis, with both players going for Grand Slam titles and at the top of the sport.
As he has been going to the Laver Cup and representing Team Europe in the event of his team, Alcaraz said he still has been in contact with Sinner during his time away from competition. The Spaniard added that he has sent messages to his rival on several occasions and even when Sinner was winning a lot of results in his top team.
“I have texted him not too much, but a few times when he has been winning everything, mostly at the beginning of the year,” Alcaraz said in an interview with BBC Sport.
The 23-year-old also made it clear that Sinner’s absence has been noticeable. Alcaraz said he misses having the Italian around the tour and competing against him, and their rivalry motivates him to raise his own level.
“I miss him, I miss seeing him around, playing against him. He pushes me to be a better player,” Alcaraz said.
The rivalry between the two stars has already generated a few Grand Slam matches. They played each other in three Grand Slam finals this year; Alcaraz won the French Open and US Open and Sinner won Wimbledon. Their rivalry has become one of the most important stories in men's tennis.
However, injuries have disrupted their meetings this season. Alcaraz missed the French Open and Wimbledon with a wrist injury before coming back at the US Open. Sinner, meanwhile, was forced to withdraw from the US Open due to an injury, so fans once again missed out on having access to the two rivals meet each other at a Grand Slam.
Alcaraz believes Sinner's eventual return will be welcomed by fans as well as players. The Spaniard said tennis fans have come to expect their high-quality matches and added that when Sinner is back competing regularly the sport will benefit.
“People will be waiting for those matches, so I think it's going to be better when he’s back,” Alcaraz explained.
Carlos Alcaraz Explains His Smile After US Open Defeat
Alcaraz also discussed how his reaction to his US Open quarter-final defeat to Ben Shelton was surprising. The Spaniard could not defend his title after losing the match but his smile when he walked away from the court was infectious.
Alcaraz said that he didn’t get upset or angry at the defeat but smiled because he had been able to enjoy the match despite the physical and emotional challenges. The disappointment he felt he had missed the last time he was injured earlier in the season was a reminder to him, he said.
“I suffered, but I enjoyed and that’s why I smiled when I walked off the court because I missed that feeling,” Alcaraz explained.
His comments reflected the value of competition for the Spaniard after a hard time through injury. Back in the Grand Slam at the US Open it allowed Alcaraz to regain some of the intensity of big tournaments even though he lost in the quarterfinals.
Alcaraz Calls For Changes To US Open Schedule
The Spaniard also had a view on the scheduling of matches at the US Open. There were matches at the tournament that went so late into the night that players’ recovery and preparation was a concern for the spectator experience too, and players did not recover.
Alcaraz's quarter-final against Shelton ended at 3:33 AM local time, so the Spaniard wonders whether such late finishes are good for the players or the fans.
“I think it’s too much... if that match was played earlier, the court could have been packed,” Alcaraz said.
He suggested tournament organisers should introduce a maximum finishing time for matches. Alcaraz said that having matches end by around 11 PM would be more beneficial for the competitors as well as the spectators.
"I would like to change the schedule a little, with a maximum finish at 11 pm or whatever would be better maybe,” he added.
As Alcaraz gears up for the Laver Cup, the absence of Sinner is still one of the most talked about topics in the current tennis world. Their rivalry has also emerged as one of the key points in the sport’s recent years and Alcaraz’s comments illustrate how much he enjoys the competition that their meetings give.
