Carlos Alcaraz Relieved to Avoid Jannik Sinner Showdown in Barcelona Amid No.1 Battle: “I Certainly Won’t Miss Him”

Carlos Alcaraz will dethrone Jannik Sinner from the No.1 spot if he wins the Barcelona Open.

Carlos Alcaraz Relieved to Avoid Jannik Sinner Showdown in Barcelona Amid No.1 Battle: “I Certainly Won’t Miss Him”

Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

In Short
  • Carlos Alcaraz is relieved not to face Jannik Sinner in the Barcelona Open draw.
  • He aims to reclaim the No.1 ranking by winning the tournament, needing to defend 330 points.
  • Sinner is on a 22-match winning streak in Masters 1000 events, having recently won the Monte-Carlo Masters.

Carlos Alcaraz is relieved to see that Jannik Sinner‘s name is not in the draw of the Barcelona Open. The Spaniard will be starting his campaign against Otto Virtanen in the opening round.

Alcaraz has 330 ranking points to defend in Barcelona, and if he wins, he will remove Sinner from the top of the rankings. The Spaniard lost his No.1 spot to the Italian after losing the Monte Carlo final.

Only a title in his home event will take him to the spot. Alcaraz, the winner of 11 clay-court titles, lost a final on this surface for the second time to his arch-rival. Last year, twice Alcaraz defeated Sinner on clay, in the finals of Rome and Paris. But Sinner’s victory in the Monte Carlo final only proved that he has been working really hard to improve his game on his least favorite surface.

In the pre-tournament press conference, Alcaraz said he is motivated to win the Barcelona Open because the No.1 ranking is on the line.

Being number one in Barcelona is extra motivation. I know I have to win here if I want to get it back. The battle I’m having with Jannik is great. But what I’m focused on and what’s on my mind is continuing to improve. It’s a relief not to face him in every tournament, but he’s one of the players who pushes me to be better, who makes me aware of my weaknesses and where I need to focus in every training session and every match. I certainly won’t miss him this week.

Sinner now trails 7-10 in the head-to-head matchups against Alcaraz. He is on a 22-match winning streak in Masters 1000 events, having won last year’s Paris Masters, this year’s Sunshine Double, and the Monte-Carlo Masters.

His wins in the Indian Wells, Miami Open, and the Monte-Carlo Masters have made him only the second man, after Novak Djokovic, to win the season’s first three Masters 1000 titles in the same calendar year.

Carlos Alcaraz explains his Miami Open outburst

While Carlos Alcaraz was playing against Sebastian Korda, he yelled at his box that he was tired and wanted to go home. At the pre-tournament press conference in Barcelona, Alcaraz explained the reason behind his outburst.

Carlos Alcaraz
Carlos Alcaraz (Image via X/Carlos Alcaraz 4K)

One of the most difficult things on the court is controlling your own emotions, and sometimes you snap at the slightest thing and say things you don’t even think about. And then you realize the gravity of your words and what you say on the court. Sometimes I arrive a little mentally exhausted and more tired than I should be, and when tough matches come up, there comes a point where it’s really hard.

Before his shock third-round exit in Miami, the seven-time Grand Slam champion also lost the Indian Wells Masters without reaching the final. Eventual runner-up Daniil Medvedev defeated him in the semifinals.

After the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz wants to play the Madrid Open, which he skipped last year due to an injury. Alcaraz is a two-time champion in the Spanish capital, winning in 2022 and 2023. Jannik Sinner has hinted at skipping the Madrid Open to prioritize rest and recovery. He doesn’t have any points to defend in Madrid because he also skipped it last year.

He will be defending 1,950 points at the Italian Open and the French Open, while Alcaraz will defend 3,330 points in Barcelona, Rome, and Paris. Alcaraz is chasing his third title of the season in Barcelona, having won the Australian Open and the Qatar Open by defeating Novak Djokovic and Arthur Fils.

Also read: Thomas Enqvist Shares Plans for Matteo Berrettini After the Italian’s Resurgence in Monte Carl