Sinner: “Happy for him (Alcaraz) and let’s see next year”
Jannik Sinner expresses genuine respect and positivity towards Carlos Alcaraz after losing the year-end world No. 1 ranking, praising his rival’s remarkable 2025 season and reaffirming his own determination to return to the top in 2026.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, ATP 2025 | © Zuma / PsNewz
Jannik Sinner, who lost his year-end world number one status to Carlos Alcaraz, showed no bad blood regarding the situation or his relationship with his rival.
“I’m happy, of course, for him—super happy,” Sinner said after his win against Ben Shelton. “I’d be lying if I said otherwise, honestly. He deserves it because he played an incredible season: 2 Grand Slams, 8 tournaments, it’s an incredible amount, and he is playing at a very high level, competitive on any surface.”
Beyond the trophies, Alcaraz dominated Sinner in Rome, Roland-Garros, Cincinnati (via retirement), and the US Open, whereas Sinner defeated the Spaniard at Wimbledon and the unofficial Six Kings Slam.
“Carlos is playing a very, very aggressive style of tennis,” Sinner noted. “We have seen it against all three players he faced here so far (De Minaur, Fritz, Musetti), and so he deserved the pressure.”
“Next year, in the preparation phase, we will do a lot of work, but again, he deserved it.”
“He is a really nice guy and has a great team around him. He’s working hard for these goals. Next year, in the preparation phase, we will do a lot of work, but again, he deserved it. I’m happy for him, and if there’s another player (to promote), I’d always choose him. He deserves it. And now, we’ll see also next year.”
Two weeks ago in Paris, Sinner said that reclaiming the number one spot—which he held at the end of 2024 but lost in September after the US Open—would be his goal for 2026. Interestingly, Sinner was not asked about the impact of his three-month ban between mid-February and mid-May, neither in the English nor the Italian parts of the press conference.
