Jannik Sinner on Carlos Alcaraz rivalry: 'It's not like you have to be enemies off court'

ATP Tour

Sinner on Alcaraz rivalry: 'It's not like you have to be enemies off court'

World No. 1 looks ahead to Musetti matchup

Corinne Dubreuil Jannik Sinner celebrates his fourth-round victory against Alexander Bublik Monday at the US Open. By ATP Staff

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have created a scintillating Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry and the stars have been battling for No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings throughout the US Open. They could also meet in a third consecutive major final in New York.

But when asked what kids could learn from their rivalry, Sinner explained Monday evening that being opponents in big matches does not mean they need to be enemies.

“I think that we have a good friendship also off the court. It's something great to see,” Sinner said. “We see that this is possible, it's not like you have to be enemies also off the court. Of course we are enemies when we step on the court, we try to play our best tennis. But it ends there. After the handshake, everything is fine again.”

The Italian pointed out that off the court, they are normal people. Alcaraz loves playing golf, Sinner has his own hobbies. They just happen to be competing for some of the biggest prizes in the sport.

“In the same time, we practise very hard. We have the team which supports us, [those people are] very honest with us,” Sinner said. “But I think many players are like this. Tennis is very important, and it depends also how much you are able to sacrifice for the sport because you have to.

“But yeah, I think one thing is to be a good tennis player; the other one is to be a good person. Two different things.”

Sinner and Alcaraz are both in the US Open quarter-finals and are two matches away from another tantalising clash. The Italian was ruthless Monday evening, defeating in-form Kazakhstani Alexander Bublik for the loss of just three games. All Bublik was able to do as he left Arthur Ashe Stadium was laugh.

“We don't have to forget that he had a five-set match and it finished very late against Tommy [Paul], a different player. It can happen. This is the sport,” Sinner said. “Some days there [is] good, and some days there [is] not good. Maybe I have a day where things don't work, and then I lose easy. You never know what's happening. It's very unpredictable the sport.”

Now the World No. 1 will prepare for the first all-Italian men’s singles quarter-final at a major against Lorenzo Musetti. He leads their Lexus ATP Head2Head series 2-0.

“Pressure is there. Pressure has always been there,” Sinner said with a smile. “It's going to be very interesting to see obviously. It's a bit different when you play the same, or from me being Italian playing against another Italian, they are always a bit different matches. But in the same time, he's an amazing player, very, very talented. He is playing some great tennis.

“He has struggled a bit, you know, during the season, but now he finds himself in an amazing form and shape. The pressure is on me. But in the same time, most of the times the pressure is a little bit more me than on the opponent, so let's see what's coming.”

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