Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will meet in a grand slam final again at the US Open but the pair are unlikely to be close friends as their great rivalry flourishes
Novak Djokovic’s stance on rivals underlines why Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will never be close friends. The top two players in men’s tennis are set to clash once again in the final of the US Open on Sunday night, marking another chapter in their historic rivalry.
It is the first time in the open era that two men have faced off in three grand slam finals in a single season, highlighting their dominance in the sport. The victor will not only gain the upper hand in their head-to-head record in grand slam finals but will also finish the week as the world number one.
Despite their fierce competition, their relationship remains more respectful than friendly, mirroring Djokovic’s own experiences with his ‘big three’ rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Djokovic, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows, was candid about his inability to form friendships with Federer and Nadal during their prime years.
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Reflecting on his relationship with Federer, he once said: “We have never been friends. Between rivals, it is not possible, but we have never been enemies.
“I’ve always had respect for Federer, he was one of the greatest of all time. He had an extraordinary impact, but I’ve never been close to him.”
Regarding Nadal, he said: “Nadal is only a year older than me, we are both Geminis. At first, we even went to dinner together, twice. But even with him, friendship is impossible.”
Alcaraz and Sinner seem to share a tighter bond than the legendary ‘big three’, though a deep friendship remains unlikely to blossom anytime soon. Speaking earlier this year, the Spaniard said: “Once we are on tour, travelling, at tournaments, on site, we are with our teams and on our own, so we don’t speak too much.
“But when we can, we talk a little bit besides tennis, about life. But not too much. It means we have a good relationship but we are not close friends. I think the respect we have puts us in a position that we have a really good relationship.”
Sinner maintained there was an aspect of friendship in their bond earlier in the current tournament. He said: “I think that we have a good friendship also off the court. 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. That’s great to see.”
Following his victory over Felix Auger-Aliassime in the semi-finals, Sinner discussed the increasing frequency of blockbuster clashes with Alcaraz. The Wimbledon champion said: “We have faced each other quite a lot now lately, so things are getting a little bit different.
“Always when we step on court, we are aware of maybe more things, because him or me, we try to prepare the match tactically and in different ways.
“Sometimes it’s also nice to not play against him. But it’s great for the sport having rivalries, having hopefully great matches in front of us.”