Carlos Alcaraz Believes He Doesn’t Have Any “Mental Advantage” over Arch-Rival Jannik Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz extended his lead in his head-to-head record against Jannik Sinner to 8-4 after winning the Roland Garros.

Carlos Alcaraz Believes He Doesn’t Have Any “Mental Advantage” over Arch-Rival Jannik Sinner

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Alcaraz archive, Jannik Sinner HQ)

Carlos Alcaraz looks to have gotten above Jannik Sinner in their rivalry after beating the Italian star in five sets at the Roland Garros. The Spaniard has now beaten the 23-year-old in their last five meetings on tour. But, he has now admitted that he doesn’t have any mental advantage over the World No.1 despite his dominance in the rivalry.

Alcaraz has taken a step further in his dominance over Sinner on tour. Though the Italian has won more titles since 2024, each time they face on the court, Alcaraz has shown that he’s better than the World No.1 in every aspect of the game. In their first meeting this year, Alcaraz claimed a straight sets win over Sinner to win his maiden Italian Open in Rome.

They met three weeks later at the Roland Garros final. After two sets, Sinner looked poised to win the match without a challenge from Alcaraz. Surprisingly, the 22-year-old rallied back into the match, winning the third set and dragging the tie into a five-set match. He ultimately prevailed in 4-6 6(4)-7, 6-4, 7-6 (3) 7-6 (2) after five hours and 29 minutes, the longest French Open final in history.

The victory extended Alcaraz’s lead in their head-to-head record to 8-4. The last time Sinner defeated the Spaniard was at the China Open in 2023. Also, it was Alcaraz’s fifth career Grand Slam, which extends his lead against Sinner in their head-to-head record in major titles to 5-3. However, with the Wimbledon Championship approaching, both players will now shift their focus to the grass-court season.

Sinner will compete at the Terra Wortmann Open, while Alcaraz will challenge for the Queen’s Club Championships. Ahead of their opening matches, Alcaraz revealed via Ubitennis that he doesn’t have a mental advantage over Sinner and that he’s sure the Italian will be a strong contender in Wimbledon:

I don’t consider my victory to give me a mental advantage over him, but I foresee him returning stronger than ever. I know he is excited about the idea of winning Wimbledon and that he can play very well on this surface, so he will be a strong contender to become the champion in London.

Sinner is not known to play his best tennis on grass despite being the defending champion of the Terra Wortmann Open. He has never gotten past the quarter-finals of the Wimbledon Championship. On the other hand, Alcaraz has won Wimbledon two consecutive times and has claimed the Queen’s Championships once.

Carlos Alcaraz hints that Jannik Sinner may beat him at the Wimbledon Championship

Carlos Alcaraz now has another tough challenge at the Wimbledon Championship. As the defending champion, he’s the favorite to win the title for the third straight time, which is an uphill task, especially in tennis. Also, that will be a chance for Jannik Sinner to face him again and earn his revenge.

Jannik Sinner Carlos Alcaraz Roland Garros French Open 2025
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (Image via Roland Garros/X)

During the aforementioned interview, he said that Sinner’s loss to him will certainly hurt the Italian star. But he then hailed the sport’s schedule that allows players to exact revenge for any bitter loss in a matter of few weeks.

I haven’t spoken to Jannik after the match, but I can imagine what happened. It was an incredible experience, really. We are friends, but not so close to chat constantly, although I know how much it would hurt him to lose in Paris. The best thing about tennis is that it never stops and gives you the opportunity to redeem yourself immediately. You don’t have time to dwell too much on what happened. I am convinced that Sinner will come back with a strength and motivation never seen before in him.

Alcaraz was set to open his account at the Queen’s Club Championships against fellow compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, but the Spaniard withdrew for fitness reasons. Alcaraz then played Adam Walton of Australia and beat him in straight sets.

Also Read: Carlos Alcaraz’s Coach Issues Warning to the Roland Garros Champion About his Intentions for the Grass Court Season