Why doesn't Sinner like to play against Alcaraz?

Jose Morón | 11 Jun 2025 | 17.24

Why doesn't Sinner like to play against Alcaraz? Photo: Getty

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Many have asked themselves, “What does Carlos Alcaraz have that makes it so difficult for Jannik Sinner to face him?” when the Italian lost for the fifth consecutive time against the Spaniard last Sunday at Roland Garros. Is it a coincidence or a specific reason? The truth is that Carlitos has something in his tennis that really troubles Jannik. Let's tell you the reason why Sinner struggles so much against Alcaraz.

The first thing to mention is that there is not a single player on the circuit that Sinner finds it as hard to beat. He can defeat 99% of the tour playing the way he does, but Carlitos has different weapons to counter the Italian's game.

What are these weapons?

1. Doesn't back off

Jannik, since working with Vagnozzi and Cahill, has become a tremendously offensive player. He always plays within a meter of the baseline.

It's like he has a chip installed that prevents him from moving further back than that. From that position, he directs the ball always within a meter of the opponent's court lines. Whether it's a backhand or forehand, Sinner is a player who loves to operate in that area.

And he always plays the same way, no matter the opponent. This allows him to overpower opponents. Even when facing a player with very flat or strong shots, Sinner consistently directs the ball accurately or attacks without hesitation. He thrives on the high pace of play and isn't intimidated by opponents' flat shots.

He never loses track and always dominates everyone. This leads to one of these outcomes:

•   Pushes them back to dominate
•   Gets a short ball to attack at mid-court
•   Forces errors
•   Hits a winner

He suffocates you. He comes at you like a train, but there's one opponent for whom this doesn't work: Carlos Alcaraz.

The Spaniard knows that if he lets Sinner dictate the play, he's in trouble. That's why he responds to Jannik by playing in the same area as him. That's why their matches are so good, because it's a battle to see who controls the baseline and who dominates who, to see who strikes first.

Carlos also enjoys playing in that area. And even though he can play in other zones, he doesn't shy away from engaging in baseline duels and is capable of defending and attacking from there against Sinner without any issue. Let's say he has both the tennis skills and the physicality to do so.

2. Mobility

There is NO ONE in the current circuit with Alcaraz's physicality. He has the highest score in this aspect of all players. The Spaniard can reach nearly everything on the court. He has incredible top speed and legs that make his opponents envious.

This allows him to cover a tremendous amount of court. He can defend from side to side effortlessly or reach drop shots that others would find impossible. This is why Jannik struggles to outmaneuver him or find openings to exploit.

In addition, Alcaraz moves the same way on all surfaces. While other players as fast as him might slow down on surfaces like clay or grass which are very slippery, Carlos is not afraid to go all out on those surfaces too. He moves in the same way on all surfaces in this sport.

Hence his success on these two natural surfaces.

Beyond the power he can generate from his legs to his shots (especially his forehand), his incredible physical work allows him to reach anything sent from the other side of the court.

3. His shots

As if this wasn't enough, Carlos is the player of spins. He puts a brutal spin on the ball with his forehand. He is among the top 3-5 players in terms of spin production with his right hand. This means that when his forehand lands, it will push his opponents back. It's a heavy ball that overwhelms them.

Sinner, who normally feels comfortable in baseline rallies, can play quick shots on flat balls, but when faced with a high ball to his forehand or backhand, he doesn't find it as comfortable to return at a quick pace.

He has to step back a bit to be able to strike it well. In other words, with this shot, Carlitos forces Jannik out of his comfort zone. It's the first step to construct his game and take it to his own territory. Once he pushes him back, he can step forward or change direction with his forehand to dominate him.

I mentioned the forehand, in a point during play, but it can be applied to other aspects, such as the serve. Carlitos, despite what many may say, has a great serve with spin. He is one of the best in the world in this aspect. And this kind of serve causes a lot of trouble on surfaces like clay or grass. When it bounces, it skids outward or towards the opponent's body, making it hard to return.

In the Rome final, as well as in the final stages last Sunday in Paris, Alcaraz pushed Jannik out of position with his spinning serve, enabling him to attack the space left open by the Italian.

Also, Carlos can apply spins and heavy shots to the backhand side. Let's say he's got everything to pull Sinner away from his comfort zone. Hence, the Italian must try to be the one to attack first when playing against Carlos, to prevent the Spaniard from applying those effects to the ball. That's why we see a wonderful power struggle in their matchups.

4. Variations

Alcaraz knows how to do it all. He has a complete repertoire of shots. He knows how to serve, play from the baseline, defend, attack, volley, hit drop shots… nothing is outside his reach. And in this variety of shots lies another key reason why Sinner struggles to face his ultimate rival.

While, with his style of play, Sinner overwhelms opponents and devours them, against Alcaraz, he always needs something more. The Spaniard, on the other hand, showcases a complete set of shots.

Drawing him to the net doesn't work for Jannik because Carlos has a very solid net game.

Forcing him on the defense isn't effective because he handles it perfectly.

He can't let him attack either, because Carlos can do that too.

He needs to serve exceptionally well as Carlos is a phenomenal returner.

He needs to be alert on returns because Carlos can do significant damage from his serve.

He keeps pushing him to do everything and do it well.

And to top it off, he also has the physical stamina for long battles, making Sinner work hard in this area. The mental aspect is another factor to consider, as there have been several occasions where Alcaraz has come back against Jannik, even with match points in the Italian's favor.

Let me tell you something:

The first time they faced off at the ATP level, in Paris 2021, with a victory for the Spaniard, Sinner, who was then working with Riccardo Piatti, was surprised to see that Alcaraz was doing so many things at just 18 years old. And above all: that he was doing them better than him.

He knew that Alcaraz was going to be his top rival on the circuit, which led him, a few months later, to break ties with Piatti and seek new voices that could bring a change to his tennis.

And he sure did.

Just compare videos of Jannik in 2020 or 2021 to see how he played back then versus his current version.

Personally, I have no doubt that Jannik will work to narrow the small gap that currently exists between them and that in the not-so-distant future, we might see the tables turned, with the Italian becoming the one to defeat the Spaniard on a regular basis.

It also depends on where they face each other. Just as there are surfaces or tournaments where conditions favor Alcaraz a bit more, there are others like fast hard courts or indoor surfaces where Jannik would have the upper hand.

Either way, this is a rivalry that promises to give us many thrilling afternoons. Let the party continue.