Carlos Alcaraz Admits Jannik Sinner Has Made Him ‘Better’ Player: “He Pushes Me to Give 100 Percent”

Jannik Sinner trails 7-10 in the head-to-head meetings against Carlos Alcaraz.

Carlos Alcaraz Admits Jannik Sinner Has Made Him ‘Better’ Player: “He Pushes Me to Give 100 Percent”

Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/Giovanni Pelazzo, Carlos Alcaraz)

In Short
  • Carlos Alcaraz acknowledges that Jannik Sinner has significantly improved his game.
  • Sinner is set to compete in the Madrid Open after missing last year's tournament due to a doping ban.
  • Alcaraz is skipping the Madrid Open for the second year in a row due to a wrist injury.

Jannik Sinner is all set to start his campaign at the Madrid Open, the main draw of which is set to start on April 22. The second Masters 1000 on clay is the perfect chance for the Italian to increase his ranking gap between him and Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner has no point to defend in the Spanish capital, as he skipped the tournament last year due to his doping ban. Alcaraz, on the other hand, will be skipping the tournament for the second consecutive time due to injury problems.

During the Barcelona Open, the 22-year-old injured his right wrist, which forced him to hand the walkover to Tomas Machac during the second round of the Barcelona Open. Alcaraz, during his interview with Gazzetta, opened up about his bond with the four-time Grand Slam champion.

I’ve always said it: in the end, we’re fighting for the same things, for the most important tournaments, for number one. We’re fighting almost for the same records. But the relationship we have off the court, once we’re out there, is very good, and it’s the same with his team.

Carlos Alcaraz said

Alcaraz then shared whether he thinks that without Sinner, he would be the same player. The two top players have played 17 times, with Alcaraz winning 10 times.

I don’t know, maybe. But what I can guarantee is that Sinner has made me a much better player. The fact of having him there, the fact of having him as a target in every training session, the effort to fine-tune those little details I need to improve, especially when I know I’ll have to face him, is what helps me grow the most. So yes, I’ve said it before: I’m very grateful that he’s on the circuit, because he pushes me to give 100 percent day after day.

Carlos Alcaraz added

Before the Barcelona Open, Alcaraz failed to defend his title at the Monte-Carlo Masters, losing in straight sets to Sinner, registering his second consecutive defeat at the hands of the World No.1. This saw the Murcia native lose his No.1 ranking to Sinner as prior to winning his second clay-court title in The Principality, Sinner completed the Sunshine Double by beating Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells final and Jiri Lehecka in the Miami Open final.

Jannik Sinner on his comeback to the Madrid Open

Madrid Open is the only tournament where Jannik Sinner has never progressed past the quarterfinals. He made the last eight in 2024 and handed the walkover to Felix Auger-Aliassime. In the pre-tournament press conference, the four-time Grand Slam champion talked about his return to the fourth Masters 1000 event of the season.

Jannik Sinner (2)
Jannik Sinner (Image via X/4K JANNIK SINNER)

Physically, I feel pretty good, just a bit tired, but that’s to be expected. Not having played last year, Madrid is an opportunity to figure out how to improve in a tournament where I’ve never gone beyond the quarterfinals. Especially on this surface, I’ve always tried to get better. This year, after 2-3 days on clay, I felt pretty good. Even though here in Madrid, the playing conditions are different: the ball is very fast, and you control it a bit less.

Sinner is on a 22-match winning streak in Masters 1000 events, with his last defeat at this level coming at the 2025 Shanghai Masters third round. He handed the walkover to Tallon Griekspoor after suffering cramps.

After that exit, he lifted the Paris Masters, Indian Wells, Miami Open, and the Monte-Carlo Masters. He has now become the second player, after Novak Djokovic, to win the first three Masters 1000 of the season.

Also read: Marta Kostyuk Incredibly Proud After Winning All-Ukrainian Final: “It Was a Historical Moment”