Carlos Alcaraz: ‘I understand that people argue about who is the best between us (Sinner & me), but …’ | Tennis News
The pot has begun stirring, and stans craving controversy are readying to kick start another tennis rivalry, which in sport, often turn toxic online. Except, Carlos Alcaraz isn’t buying into the tripe-hype of the “battle” with Jannik Sinner.
The two men who have won the last 5 Slams between them, could be shaping up into the Federer-Nadal mould of mutual respect, though deranged followers might want to see the rivalry sharpened.
When Italian tennis journal Giovanni Pelazzo asked Carlos Alcaraz about Sinner withdrawing from Rotterdam ATP 500, the Spaniard, 21, offered a balanced viewpoint, even as he casually uttered that Sinner has proven to be the best tennis player, at the moment.
Story continues below this ad
“Sinner’s withdrawal? I understand, I know how difficult it is to stay healthy after a Slam where you go all the way. I guess he didn’t feel ready to play another tournament so soon, which was smart,” Alcaraz told Pelazzo, as per his twitter account.
Sinner, two years older in age and on the Tour, has struck consency winning his last 10 matches against Top Tenners without dropping a set. The Italian has 19 ATP titles compared to Alcaraz’s 16, and the Spaniard has had a bunch of off the kilter losses. Alcaraz went down to Gael Monfils at Cincinnati, to Botic van de Zandschulp at US Open and Nicolas Jarry at the Buenos Aires final last year.
However, Alcaraz went 3-0 vs Sinner last year, which had prompted Patrick Mouratoglou to say that Jannik Sinner is not the best player in the world right now.
Alcaraz, who went down to a hobbling Djokovic at Melbourne, speaking at Rotterdam to Pelazzo, said, “Jannik has proven to be the best at the moment, it’s crazy what he’s doing. I understand that people argue about who is the best between us two, but for me and for the tennis players who play against him, Jannik is definitely the strongest.”Story continues below this ad
While Sinner aces hard courts, Alcaraz remains a threat on clay and grass, but acknowledes that he goes deep in tournaments. Pelazzo also quoted Alcaraz as telling him, “I don’t agree with what Mouratoglou said. Jannik will have lost 4/5 matches in a year, he has no ups and downs. In every tournament he participates in he either reaches the final or lifts the trophy.”
Their off-court camaraderie is pretty evident, though set-up posers thrown to draw out a cackling statement or two to create drama, is never far off. However, the two have been known to giggle walking away from rains, throw smiles in response to each other’s outrageous shots, pose arm in arm for pictures like at 6King tournament, and remove confetti sitting like a spike on the other’s head.
But with sports fan bases – this is more loaded with Sinner being an Italian – unable to stay drama-free, both young greats will keep receiving provocative questions. They might just have to seek greatness of not-getting-riled variety from non-messy Messrs Federer and Nadal, while they hoarde Slams.
