“It seemed impossible": Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner look back at how their friendship started as duo reminisce about first match against each other
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner reflected on the origins of their friendship during a conversation, recalling their first match against each other. The Spaniard admitted that back then, building a friendship with the Italian felt like an unlikely prospect.
Alcaraz and Sinner have built a fierce rivalry in recent years. The duo dominated the 2024 season, splitting all four Grand Slam titles between them—the former triumphed at the French Open and Wimbledon, while the latter claimed victory at the Australian Open and the US Open.
Their main tour rivalry began at the 2021 Paris Masters. However, their very first encounter took place on the Challenger Tour in Alicante in 2019, when both were still teenagers, with the four-time Grand Slam champion reigning supreme.
During a conversation with CNN during the ATP Finals, Jannik Sinner shared that he was immediately impressed by Carlos Alcaraz's skills when they first played. He recalled approaching the Spaniard in the locker room afterward, wanting to connect and get to know him better.
"I have no idea who he is. I said, 'Wow, he is amazing.' I was straight away impressed. After the match, we went to the locker because I wanted to get to know him because he was just an amazing talent. You could see straight away that he is a very special player," the Italian said.
Alcaraz, who joined Sinner for the interview, added that their first match was a thrilling "roller coaster" that went to three sets. He also shared that while it was an intense battle, they both had a "great time."
"The match was a roller coaster for us. But it was a great time. I didn't think at the time that we were going to share a lot of tournaments, to get into a place that we are in right now because it seemed impossible at the time," the 21-year-old said.
Carlos Alcaraz is "much better" at engaging the crowd than him, says Jannik Sinner
During the same interview with CNN, Jannik Sinner talked about his and Carlos Alcaraz's contrasting personalities. He described himself as more reserved while noting that his rival has a more outgoing nature, often engaging with crowds in a way that fans adore.
"Different personalities I guess. I am more of a solid player in a way," the Italian said.
Sinner then turned to Alcaraz and added:
"I think where you are much much better than I am is the touch of the ball. You have very good sensibility. It's nice to see sometimes you getting engaged with the crowd. That's exactly what a crowd wants to see when they come to see a match."
Alcaraz and Sinner both recently participated in the ATP Finals. While the former's campaign was cut short in the round-robin stage, hindered by illness, the latter has advanced to the semifinals.