Carlos Alcaraz refuses to be friends with Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner

Wales Online

14-07-2025

Carlos Alcaraz refuses to be friends with Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz lost to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon final on Sunday and the Spaniard has explained why his relationship with the Italian will never be close
Jannik Sinner of Italy poses with the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy alongside Carlos Alcaraz of Spain
(Image: 2025 Getty Images )
Carlos Alcaraz has revealed why a close friendship with his Wimbledon final opponent, Jannik Sinner, is unlikely. Before the two-time defending champion lost to the world's top-ranked player in their SW19 showdown, Alcaraz acknowledged that their on-court rivalry will always come between them.
Alcaraz lost to Sinner in a rematch of their epic French Open final last month. On that occasion, Alcaraz claimed a gruelling five-set win after saving three championship points, with the match lasting five hours and 29 minutes.
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This time around, Sinner triumphed 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-4.
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Despite a deep-seated respect between them, Alcaraz believes their competitive dynamic will prevent a close friendship from blossoming, potentially setting the tone for a decade-long rivalry.
The 22 year old Spaniard shared his thoughts on their relationship with Sky Sports Tennis last year, saying: "Once we are on tour, travelling, at tournaments, on site, we are with our teams and on our own, so we don't speak too much.
"But when we can, we talk a little bit besides tennis, about life. But not too much. It means we have a good relationship but we are not close friends. I think the respect we have puts us in a position that we have a really good relationship.", reports the Express.
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Alcaraz maintained his position during Sinner's three-month suspension, which concluded in May following a doping violation involving the steroid clostebol last year. The Italian claimed accidental contamination by a member of his team and settled the matter with WADA.
The young talent was surprised at the support he received following his suspension, noting that some unexpected figures reached out, whilst others remained quiet. After his return, Sinner remarked: "I received messages from players I didn't expect and I didn't receive anything from others I could expect something from."
Alcaraz revealed that he had not been in contact with Sinner throughout the sanction. According to Marca, his stance was clear: "I haven't spoken to him during his disqualification. Everyone looks out for themselves."
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The Spanish player further commented on their professional relationship, saying: "We are not very close. In the end we are also rivals and I can't have a close friendship with a person I want to beat."
Despite the competitive nature of their relationship, Alcaraz expressed his respect for Sinner, admiring his achievements post-suspension and conveying happiness at his return to the tour. He empathised with Sinner's feelings of disappointment but concluded, "I have great respect for him. What he is doing now after being out for three months is incredible. I was very happy to see him back on the circuit. It's normal for him to feel disappointed. But it is what it is."
Alcaraz's viewpoint mirrors that of Djokovic towards Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. The 38 year old Serbian, who plans to continue playing despite his significant loss to Sinner, once commented about Nadal in Corriere Della Sera: "Nadal is only a year older than me, we are both Geminis. At first we even went to dinner together, twice. But even with him, friendship is impossible."
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Regarding Federer, he stated: "We have never been friends. Between rivals, it is not possible, but we have never been enemies.
"I've always had respect for Federer, he was one of the greatest of all time. He had an extraordinary impact, but I've never been close to him. ".