“He pushes me to do better,” said Jannik Sinner earlier this year while raving about his arch nemesis Carlos Alcaraz. Ever since the two faced each other in 2019, during an ATP Challenger Tour event, their rivalry has only grown in terms of magnitude. Now a former ATP pro has also confessed that there’s nothing bigger in the tennis world today than watching a Sinner-Alcaraz clash!

Former Spanish player Alex Corretja had an interesting take on this ever-growing rivalry. In a post on X, dated November 24th, he wrote, “The rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz is impressive. Jannik is a bit more solid and structured, he is improving his game a lot. Carlitos on the other hand is a bit more of a genius, he has great naturalness in what he does.”

Moreover, he even called their intense clashes as “big attraction for the whole world”.“It’s a very healthy rivalry and very good for tennis and sports in general. It’s a big attraction for the whole world, but the most important thing is that they are two good guys. There is a lot of respect between them, which is what I appreciate the most(Translated from Italian),” concluded the former ATP pro.

This season saw Jannik Sinner taking on Carlos Alcaraz three times in ATP tournaments. On all the occasions, the Spaniard emerged victorious, while leading the overall head-to-head tally 6-4. While results are part of the sport, it’s the chemistry these two share with each other that makes their encounters unforgettable. Not just on-court, but off it too. In fact, Sinner once admired Alcaraz as someone who keeps inspiring him to become better.

“I wake up in the morning trying to understand how to beat Alcaraz. I feel like—at least talking from my side—he pushes me to do better. I wake up in the morning trying to understand what I can do better trying to beat him next time, which is something nice for me as a player,” he said in an official ATP interview, dated October 4th.

Meanwhile, it’s not just Sinner who believes Alcaraz makes him better every day. Seems like even the Spaniard has similar thoughts for his archrival.

Jannik Sinner pushes Carlos Alcaraz to do better

Just like the Fox, Alcaraz also never shies away from praising his Italian counterpart. During a media interaction in October, he was asked if playing against Sinner feels different from other players. In his response, he said that he learns a lot from Sinner. “I’ve seen his matches before mine. Playing at a great level. Watching his matches before mine helps me a lot to put on a good show when I step on the court. Let’s see tomorrow if I play after him or not. Happy we’re both going further,” he said.

Previously, he even complimented Sinner on having a great run in 2024 in general. After defeating him in the China Open final, he couldn’t resist from showing his true emotions for the Italian. Alcaraz revealed how much he admires Sinner as a person – not just as a competitor. “During your whole career and this year, I’d like to congratulate you and your team for great work and great tennis you’re playing. For me, even more important, you and the people around you are great people.. I respect you a lot as a player but even more as a person,” said the Spaniard.

Tennis fans will look forward to cherish all the future moments featuring these two. The next season will surely give them multiple opportunities to witness their now-iconic rivalry across various ATP events. What are your thoughts on the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry? Let us know in the comments below.