Narrative about Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner's closeness is 'being pushed'
NewsMonday, 24 November 2025 at 17:10
Many tennis fans like how much Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner speak about their good relationship, but Jack Sock thinks that dynamic has been slightly overplayed.
Alcaraz and Sinner played several significant matches in 2025, including finals at the French Open, Wimbledon, US Open, and the ATP Finals. Despite that intensity, they have conducted themselves impeccably.
That was particularly evident in their extraordinary French Open final. Each player corrected line calls in the other's favor without the umpire needing to intervene, and neither took a toilet break despite the match lasting five hours and 29 minutes.
Trophy ceremonies after Alcaraz and Sinner's finals are always marked by extremely kind words being exchanged. For instance, the Italian said he would always want Alcaraz to win a title if it cannot be him after his ATP Finals success.
There has also been much social media content of the two interacting off the court, creating the impression that they share a very close relationship and enjoy being around one another.
However, Sock does not think that shows they are inseparable, a position he outlined on the Nothing Major Podcast. While the 2017 Paris Masters champion believes they are friends, he doubts their connection goes as far as many think.
“Every tournament, I feel like every week now, you go on Twitter, and it’s like: ‘Oh, Carlos and Jannik, look at this interaction they had as they’re passing by on the practice court.’"
“Just because you dap somebody up and smile doesn’t mean you guys are like really close friends. Maybe it turns into that over the years with the rivalry and everything, but I think at the current moment, I think it’s being pushed way harder than reality. I agree that they’re friends, but the narrative that they’re really close is being pushed.”
Sock offered an interesting perspective on fans' mentality and why they enjoy content about Alcaraz and Sinner's friendship so much. He thinks the closeness between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal influences that.
“I think tennis fans in general obviously loved the Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] narrative and everything, and they are good friends, and I think because they’re retired now and not around, people want that so much that they’re pushing this."
Although Sock does not know Alcaraz or Sinner well, he suspects that the Spaniard's personality would probably make him more open to a close friendship than Sinner, who he thinks exists more in a bubble.
“I think Carlos would be more open to it [a friendship], based on personality. I think Jannik seems very closed off to his bubble and to his people."
Some may have the opposite opinion and argue that Sinner's high-profile doping case and three-month suspension earlier this season could make being very good friends more risky for Alcaraz because of PR reasons.
Sinner's rehiring of Umberto Ferrara, the fitness coach who played a role in his testing positive for a banned substance last year, has kept his case in the headlines. Ferrara released an emotional message after Sinner's ATP Finals success.
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