TURIN, ITALY – NOVEMBER 16: Jannik Sinner of Italy hugs Carlos Alcaraz of Spain following the Men’s Singles Final on day eight of the Nitto ATP Finals 2025 at Inalpi Arena on November 16, 2025 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
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Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are the two best men’s tennis players on the planet and appear set to dominate the sport for the next decade.
They have combined to win the last nine straight Grand Slam titles.
Yet they do not hate each other, and in fact are quite friendly.
“There’s no need to hate each other because we want the same thing,” Alcaraz told Vanity Fair, where he graces the cover of the latest edition. “We’re showing the world that we can be on court and give our best, and try to do the most possible damage to the other while playing, try to beat each other, and then, off court, just be two guys who get along really well.”
“We help each other give our best. There is no bad blood. We are fighting for the same goal, but there’s no need to hate each other because we want the same thing.”
“When you are competing at this level, having a close friendship is complicated… It can be done. I’m all for it.”
“Rivalries are long processes. It’s not comparable to the historic rivalries that have happened in tennis, because we both have so many years ahead. Hopefully, we will continue playing against each other many times, at many finals, and that we will split the greatest tournaments.”
Alcaraz, 23, is out for Roland Garros and possibly Wimbledon with a wrist injury. He is the two-time defending champion French Open champion.
Meantime, Sinner, 24, is dominating and has now won 31 straight ATP Masters 1000 matches after his 6-2, 6-3 win over fellow Italian Andrea Pellegrino on Tuesday in Rome.
He has won the first four ATP Masters 1000 titles of 2026 and five straight overall. If he wins in Rome, he would match Novak Djokovic by winning all nine Masters 1000 titles.
“I’m very happy about the outcome,” he said on court. “At the same time I’m very happy for him. We played seven years ago on a smaller court. It’s nice. Of course from an Italian point of view it’s amazing there are so many Italians. A bit unfortunate at the same time because it’s in the Round of 16. It’s been a very good match from both of us. Now let’s see. Hopefully I’m ready for the quarterfinals.”