Alcaraz: "The rivalry I have with Sinner is a gift"
With 24 hours left before they compete in the exhibition in South Korea, the Spanish and Italian players held a press conference, expressing their desire to compete again.
It has been a long time since we last saw them on the court, hence the commotion caused by this exhibition match that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will play tomorrow, Saturday, January 10th, in South Korea, where they addressed the media this morning.
The press conference lasted half an hour, although it is true that half the time was spent on translations for the local employees. Smiling, approachable, and a bit nervous, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner slowly began to win over the people of South Korea, where tomorrow they will play an exhibition match that will kick off this 2026 season. But what did they say at the microphone? Were there any tricky questions? Absolutely none. For now, we will hear the Spaniard talking about what this rivalry with the Italian means.
First match of 2026
“It's a pleasure for me to be here for the first time. I haven't played any matches since last season, so starting the season in this place alongside Jannik is a great way to prepare for the Australian Open. We're talking about a Grand Slam, we all want to be ready, so these days we'll take advantage of this opportunity to keep improving. I think we both are looking forward to the moment to face each other in this match."
Seoul Experience
“I arrived in Seoul yesterday, I've only been here for a day, but the welcome we received was insane, I don't recall anything like it. Since we announced a month and a half ago that we would have this match, we felt the anticipation for this date, and of course, we've had time to prepare for it. We are thrilled to be here, fully charged to start the season, to start it here. This time of year is always very exciting”.
Rivalry with Sinner
“I remember every match I've played against him, from the first time. Little by little, we've faced each other in more advanced rounds of tournaments, but this is a gift, we have learned many things after each semifinal or final of a major tournament. It takes a lot of passion and patience to build such a rivalry over the years, from the Challengers to the Grand Slam finals. Looking back and seeing all that we have achieved individually, it's clear that we both have pushed each other to give our 100% on the court. I'm proud to have such a rivalry, when we shake hands at the net, everything else fades away”.
A Circuit Dominated by Two Players
“Both of us are ready for this kind of challenge, we have won many Grand Slams and Masters 1000 events in recent seasons, people can see the growth of a great rivalry established in the elite. The rest of the players are trying to catch up with us, so for us, it's very exciting to start a new season, also to respond to people with the results they expect to see from us. It's very inspiring, so we are excited to see what this 2026 has in store for us”.
Which Side Would Alcaraz and Sinner Play Doubles?
“I think my backhand is something that is not talked about much. Everyone focuses on the forehand, it's more explosive, so the backhand is sidelined, but I don't think it's that bad. So, I would say my most underrated shot is the backhand. In our case, I believe there's no doubt about who prefers to play with the forehand and who with the backhand, although we haven't discussed it either. We have played many matches, sometimes facing each other in several consecutive tournaments, if one day we play together in doubles, we would have to see who plays on each side (laughs). It would be fun”.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alcaraz: “La rivalidad que tengo con Sinner es un regalo”