Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have a good relationship, but the Italian revealed that they don't speak much outside the courts.
Perhaps it's just Roger Federer's chatty nature, but rivals' close contact off the courts isn't really seen that often among professional athletes. Even with the example of Novak Djokovic, he doesn't remain much in contact with Federer or Rafael Nadal outside of the courts.
Nadal and Federer do, which is a pretty interesting dynamic in the world of rivalries. One of the most fascinating brewing rivalries is the one between Alcaraz and Sinner.
They were spotted practicing together ahead of this season in Spain, which was nice to see. They always have nothing but the best to say about each other, but according to the Italian himself, they don't speak much off the courts.
"He’s an incredible player and usually when we play it's a very good match up. We both try our best on the court. We have a lot of respect for each other. Off the court we don't speak that much because he has his own things and I have my things, but on the court he's a player who can show so many things on the court."
It shouldn't come as a huge surprise to anyone because neither Sinner nor Alcaraz are really overbearing personalities. Sinner is a pretty reserved person who doesn't really command a presence in the room.
The Spaniard, on the other hand, is a bit more of a dominant personality, but he speaks mostly with his smile. The respect is there, and from there, the relationship will surely only grow.
It might go the other way as well, especially if they keep beating each other as they have so far. One thing is certain, though: this is the rivalry that will drive the sport forward in the next decade.