Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner contested the 2024 China Open final and then flew together on the same plane to Shanghai, and the Spaniard detailed what had happened during that flight.
It's not uncommon to see tennis players or athletes taking the same flight to an event, especially if there is a short turnaround. For example, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal were on the same flight to the United States earlier this year.
In the past, even bitter rivals such as Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev famously shared a private jet together, and another duo shared a plane recently after the China Open as well.
Alcaraz and Sinner contested that final, with Alcaraz ultimately winning after a huge three-hour battle. It was a wonderful match, but it left both needing to get to Shanghai quickly due to that event beginning the same day as their final was played in Beijing.
As seeds, they had a first-round bye, but the earlier they could get there, the better, so they were likely offered a private jet to get to Shanghai quickly.
On that plane, they took a picture together, with both Alcaraz and Sinner seemingly in good spirits. Many were very curious about what happened during that flight, and upon arriving in Shanghai, the Spaniard shared what happened.
"Well, we don't talk too much when we are around, obviously. We have a really good relationship off the court as well. I think we both respect each other a lot, as a player, as a person, but once we are on tour traveling, you know, during tournaments when we are on site, we are with our team on our own, so we don't speak too much."
The fact that they didn't talk too much shouldn't be a major surprise because neither Alcaraz nor Sinner are known to be extremely chatty, at least outwardly. Still, after the final, both likely decompressed and maybe talked with their teams about the draw in Shanghai.
It's a big event, an ATP Masters 1000 tournament, with plenty of points to be won, so they both likely mentally moved on from the China Open final to that event. As for what they talk about when they talk, it's a good mix of everything, including tennis, as the 21-year-old revealed.
"When we can, we talk a little bit besides tennis, about life a little bit, but not too much. We have a good relationship, but we are not close friends, you know, but I think the respect that we have, you know, put us in a position that we have a really good relationship."
This is the rivalry people expected to dominate tennis in the coming years, so them being on good terms is very good for that. As entertaining as bitter rivalries can be, the basis of respect ensures it will be healthy for many years to come.
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