Carlos Alcaraz knows what it takes to defeat the very best. After all, he triumphed over Novak Djokovic at 2023 Wimbledon final in a match that displayed his maturity. Thus, his contest with Jannik Sinner at the 2023 China Open stood as a showcase of the Italian’s ability to upset the top players.
Alcaraz participated in the event in Beijing as the number one seed. As he worked his way up to a semifinal meeting with Sinner, he defeated top players like Casper Ruud and Lorenzo Musetti. The pair of elite players have built an enduring rivalry over the years.
Carlos Alcaraz praises Jannik Sinner
In the crucial knockout match, Sinner rampaged through Alcaraz’s defense and won 7-6, 6-1 in under two hours. The upset left the tournament with only one of the top five seeds contesting. That player was Daniil Medvedev, who had defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open semifinal.
Thus, an epic final ensued where both players stretched one other’s limits to the brink of physical exhaustion. Multiple rallies involved Sinner and Medvedev running from one end of the court to the other, in a desperate attempt to return the ball. In the end, it was Sinner who served better, returned more efficiently and won more points. He won 7-6, 7-6 and was crowned champion in China for the first time.
Carlos Alcaraz gave his insight into Sinner’s prowess as a tennis player, saying he wasn’t surprised by the ginger-haired Italian’s win over Medvedev.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all. I know Jannik’s ability. He is one of the best players in the world & he can beat anyone. I’m very happy for him. The level he was playing at was incredible.”, he said.
With the win, Sinner moved up to a career-high ranking of world no.4. He still trails Carlos Alcaraz(2) by a mammoth 3,805 points. Alcaraz himself trails Novak Djokovic by 2,830 points, but could lead by the year-end through wins at the year-end ATP Master 1000 tournaments.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner head-to-head
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have met 7 times in total with the Italian leading 4-3. They have played once on grass and clay, while the rest have been on hard courts. One of their most exciting and toughest clashes was the 2022 US Open quarterfinal, in which Alcaraz had to dig deep to win 6-3, 6-7, 6-7, 7-5, 6-3 in an astonishing five hours.
While Alcaraz’s year-end 2022 season and early 2023 were phenomenal, during which he defeated Sinner twice, it was the Italian who bounced back with wins at the Miami Open and China Open.
Sinner(22) is two years older to Alcaraz, which means fans could witness the two battle it out for many years to come. Sinner has commented on his rivalry with Alcaraz, by downplaying its significance and calling Djokovic as the Spaniard’s main rival.
Nevertheless, tennis hopefuls will wait to see the pair meet again and develop a long-lasting rivalry on the lines of the ‘Big 3’ battles of the yore.
What are your thoughts on Alcaraz’s comments on Sinner’s title triumph? Will the pair become long term rivals? Let us know in the comments section below.
