'He Has That Aura': Alcaraz Full Of Praise For Sinner Despite Rome Dominance
NewsMonday, 19 May 2025 at 13:00
Carlos Alcaraz might have won the title at the 2025 Italian Open in Rome, but he showered his final opponent, Jannik Sinner, with words of praise.
Alcaraz knows that there is probably only one player on the ATP Tour who can consistently challenge him. His name is Jannik Sinner, and he is currently the World No. 1 player, despite serving a three-month suspension.
The two have already met 11 times, with the Spaniard winning seven of those matches, including the last four in a row. It's clear that he has the upper hand when it comes to this matchup, but Alcaraz was still very humble, even after easily beating Sinner in the final in Rome.
Naturally, Alcaraz, who moved up the rankings thanks to his win, was asked about Sinner and their rivalry after his win at the Italian Open. It's a well-known fact that the two have a great relationship, and they don't hesitate to shower each other with compliments.
That was obvious during their speeches after the final, but also during Alcaraz's press conference. Despite ending Sinner's winning streak, the Spaniard called him the best player in the world.
"He's the best player in the world. It doesn't matter that he was out of the tour for three months. Every tournament he's playing, he plays great. The numbers are there. I mean, he wins almost every match he plays."
Alcaraz knows how good Sinner is, and that helps him to eliminate one of his biggest weaknesses. The Spaniard often struggles to stay focused throughout the match, but he knows that he can't afford to lose his focus against Sinner, which then helps him to find his best tennis.
"That's why I'm even more focused when I play against him. If I don't play at my best, 10 out of 10, it's going to be impossible to beat him. That's why I'm more focused when I'm playing against him, or I feel a little bit different when I'm going to face him than other players."
Alcaraz thinks that the rest of the Tour approaches the matches against Sinner in the same way. According to the four-time major winner, Sinner has "that aura."
"I think obviously, for the rest of the players, it is the same when they are facing Jannik. It's of different feeling. He has that aura. When you're seeing him on the other side of the net, it's kind of different. That's why, obviously, I'm feeling that the people are putting so much, let's say - how can I say - pressure in a certain way on both of us when we are facing each other."
Alcaraz and Sinner are often asked to compare their rivalry to legendary rivalries like that between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. However, the Spaniard didn't want to compare him and Sinner to these two legends.
"I'm not going to say I'm feeling like when Rafa and Roger are playing, but I'm feeling like there is a different energy when we are facing each other than other players."
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