The rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner is inescapable to anyone who watches men’s tennis, and one of the stars of the women’s game has given her verdict on the two greats of the modern game. Jasmine Paolini reached the final of the French Open and Wimbledon in 2024, and has been a fixture in the world’s top 10, but the Italian has also enjoyed watching those at the pinnacle on the men’s side. Sinner and Alcaraz won two grand slams apiece this year, with Alexander Zverev the only other player to even reach a final in one of those four tournaments.
It was a similar story last year, when Sinner won the Australian and US Opens either side of Alcaraz’s triumphs at Roland Garros and in SW19. The quality on display when the pair met in their three 2025 finals means it would take a lot for anyone to get in their way in 2026. But what of their personalities? Paolini has seen enough from the stars to get a good feel for what they’re like on and off the court, and shared her thoughts.
“They have very different personalities; they are two distinct players who thrill and entertain us on the court. Their level is very high,” Paolini told EFE.
“The fact that they are so different makes this rivalry even more fascinating. They are polite, respectful, intelligent, and play at a very high level.
“On the court, I tend to be louder and smile more, so in that sense, I’m more like Alcaraz. But I really enjoy watching Jannik play because he loves to push his opponent from the baseline, and with my personal experience on the court, it’s more useful for me to observe how Jannik plays and how he moves.”
Alcaraz is coming off a victory in his most recent tournament in Tokyo. He dropped just one set en route to glory, overcoming Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-4 in the final.
The Spaniard withdrew from the Shanghai Masters, where Sinner is the defending champion. Sinner got a bye to the second round, where he beat Daniel Altmaier to set up a meeting with Tallon Griekspoor.
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After learning Alcaraz wouldn’t be playing in Shanghai, Sinner recognised different players will choose to skip different tournaments depending on their own needs. “For me, I skipped last year couple of tournaments because I think it was the right choice for my body and mind,” he said
“Yeah, so also this year I didn’t play Toronto, for example, or Montreal. Yeah, you have sometimes to jump some tournaments. You can always choose.
“That’s why I say, yes, they’re mandatory, but at the end of the day you can still choose. I chose always or I will keep still choosing for my best.”