Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are 23 and 21, respectively. But they do not play like it, comport themselves like people that age, nor are they viewed as “young”.
Both have already bloomed into full-blown superstars and are poised to lead the sport both at the present and into the future. Showdowns between the pair are not simply tennis matches. They are events, spectacles with the buildup of a heavyweight boxing fight, full of anticipation. Their clash in the final of the China Open on Wednesday will be no different.
Alcaraz will take a 5-4 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series into the championship match of the ATP 500. But anything can happen as the two meet for the second consecutive year in Beijing. The only guarantee is excitement.
“It’s going to be a tough match. We know each other very well now, but every match is different, so the situation on the court is also a bit different than it was the last two matches. But let’s see,” Sinner said after his semi-final win against Buyunchaokete. “I’m happy to be here again in the final.”
Both men enter the clash on extended winning streaks. Sinner has emerged victorious from 15 consecutive matches and Alcaraz has won eight in a row.
Sinner is in first in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin by a wide margin, leading second-placed Alcaraz by 2,990 points. The 23-year-old is in great position to become the first Italian to earn ATP Year-End No. 1 presented by PIF honours. He owns a 59-6 record compared to Alcaraz’s 47-9 mark, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
“My season is going very, very good and playing finals is always a great moment,” Sinner said. “I just hope tomorrow is going to be a good match from both of us.”
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Alcaraz has won their two meetings this year — a three-setter at Indian Wells and a five-setter at Roland Garros — and claimed major trophies at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Sinner, who leads the Tour with six titles in 2024, triumphed at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
It could come down to who is more opportunistic. Alcaraz has been more dominant in Beijing, reaching the final without dropping a set. However, both men have lost serve just three times, with Sinner saving 81 per cent of the break points he has faced (13/16) compared to 57 per cent for Alcaraz (4/7).
People compare a big showdown in sport to a clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. But that insinuates one breaks down the other. Instead, Sinner and Alcaraz are like dance partners, bringing out the best in one another to produce some of the best tennis in recent memory.
“Every time we play against [each other], it’s a good match,” Sinner said after defeating Alcaraz in Beijing last year en route to the semi-finals. “We try to play on our limits.”
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Both are incredible shotmakers who are capable of turning around a point at any moment. Sinner is a bit more steady in that regard, while Alcaraz is slightly more dynamic with his speed and court coverage.
Do not be surprised when they smile at one another after a sensational point. The Sinner-Alcaraz Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry is the opposite of contentious. They are good friends, who even practised together in Villena last December at Juan Carlos Ferrero’s eponymous academy.
That is not to say that they cross their fingers in the hope of facing off. Alcaraz spoke to the media in Beijing after winning the tournament’s first semi-final against Daniil Medvedev. Who did he want to face, Sinner or Buyunchaokete?
“Obviously Bu. I’m not going to lie,” Alcaraz said, cracking a smile. “Jannik is the best player in the world right now.”
But both men will want the Beijing title badly. Sinner is trying to join Novak Djokovic as just the second man to successfully defend the China Open title. Alcaraz is attempting to become just the fourth man to claim the trophy without dropping a set (Marat Safin, Djokovic 3x and Andy Murray).
The top two players in the world are ready to embrace the moment and put on a show once again.
“I really like the battles,” Alcaraz said. “The toughest matches facing the best players in the world.”
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