Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz has hailed his growing rivalry with Jannik Sinner as a positive development for tennis, ahead of what could be a thrilling showdown between the two at this year’s French Open.
The Spanish star, who enters Roland Garros as the reigning champion, said the frequent matchups between himself and world number one Sinner are generating widespread excitement.
Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the last five Grand Slam titles, with Alcaraz taking the French Open and Wimbledon in 2023, while Sinner clinched the Australian Open in 2024, followed by the US Open and a successful title defence in Melbourne earlier this year.
“I believe it’s fantastic for the sport and for fans to have this kind of rivalry,” Alcaraz told journalists during his pre-tournament press conference. “Every time I face Jannik, people seem excited. Our matches are always of high quality. Even those who normally wouldn’t watch tennis might start because of it.”
Despite the buzz, the 22-year-old was quick to play down comparisons with some of the sport’s most iconic rivalries, such as Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal or Bjorn Borg versus John McEnroe.
“I’m not going to place our rivalry at the same level as those legends. Let’s see what the future holds, but right now we’re not in that league,” he said. “Still, it’s encouraging that fans are so eager to watch us play.”
Just days before the French Open, the two clashed in the final of the Italian Open. Although Sinner had not played competitively since the Australian Open due to a doping suspension, he stormed to the final with ease. However, Alcaraz ended his 26-match winning streak with a straight-sets win, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1.
That victory in Rome saw Alcaraz rise to world number two, setting up the possibility of a grand finale between the top two seeds in Paris.
Nevertheless, Alcaraz emphasised that competition remains fierce throughout the rankings. “The top 20, 25, or 30 players are all playing at a high level. Look at Jakub Mensik—ranked around 20—and he won Miami. That shows just how strong the top 30 is today. Maybe 10 years ago, the top 10 was stronger, but now the depth is incredible.”
Alcaraz’s campaign in Paris begins with a potentially challenging encounter against former world number four Kei Nishikori. Although the Japanese player, now 35, has slipped to 62nd in the rankings due to injury struggles, Alcaraz is not underestimating him.
“I’m excited to face Nishikori. I watched him a lot growing up. He’s a legend. When he’s on form, he’s very tough to beat. I’ll need to be ready from the start.”
