MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz, a rising star in men’s tennis, is constantly pushing himself to improve, especially with his sights set on his rival, Jannik Sinner. The young Spaniard finds motivation in Sinner’s success, using it as fuel to work harder in his training sessions and strive for excellence on the court. With the retirement of legends like Federer and Nadal, Alcaraz and Sinner have emerged as the top players in the game, each having claimed two Grand Slam titles in the previous year.
The competitive landscape of men’s tennis has shifted, with Alcaraz and Sinner now seen as the players to beat in major tournaments. Players like Alexander Zverev acknowledge the challenge of facing these two formidable opponents in order to achieve success on the biggest stages. Sinner, the defending Australian Open champion, has had a remarkable season, while Alcaraz secured victories at the French Open and Wimbledon.
As the 2025 Australian Open kicks off, the spotlight is on these young talents as they continue to make their mark on the sport. Alcaraz, who made history by becoming the youngest man to win a major title at the U.S. Open in 2022, has the opportunity to etch his name further in tennis history by completing a career Grand Slam at a young age. The competition is fierce, but Alcaraz remains focused on his goal of achieving greatness in the sport.
“In the last three years, Alcaraz and Sinner have been building a burgeoning rivalry on the tennis court, hinting at the potential to rival legendary matchups like Federer vs. Nadal or Djokovic vs. Nadal. Sinner acknowledged the increased attention on their clashes, noting that their matches have become must-watch events for fans. Currently, Alcaraz holds a 6-4 lead in their head-to-head encounters.
In the year 2024 alone, Alcaraz emerged victorious in all three meetings against Sinner, despite Sinner’s stellar record of 73-3 against other opponents. Sinner’s only defeats that year came at the hands of Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Reflecting on his approach to facing Sinner, Alcaraz emphasized the need for a different mindset when playing against a top-tier opponent like Sinner. Alcaraz, who boasted a 54-13 record with four titles in the previous season, highlighted the importance of bringing his best game to the court against Sinner, acknowledging the slim margin for error in such matchups.
Howard Fendrich has been delivering tennis coverage for the Associated Press since 2002. For more of his work, visit https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich. Stay updated on all things tennis at https://apnews.com/hub/tennis.”
