By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Photo credit: BNP Paribas Open Facebook
Keep your eye on the ball is a tennis golden rule.
When Roland Garros champion Carlos Alcaraz isn't inspecting the oncoming ball on court, he's often watching a fellow Grand Slam champion—Jannik Sinner— on TV.
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Wimbledon winner Alcaraz, who continues his Queen's Club defense against British No. 1 Jack Draper in the round of 16, says he loves watching Sinner in action.
"Yes, of course. As I said many times, I love watching [Sinner] play," Alcaraz told the media in London when asked if he's watching world No. 1 Sinner in Halle. "I mean, his style, it's really amazing to watch. I mean, he's really aggressive. I love these kind of players.
"If I can, I'm gonna watch his matches for sure, and I'm going to follow the tournament in Halle and the tournament that they are playing right now, but it have to be a good time for me."
The latest chapter of the Carlos Alcaraz vs. Jannik Sinner rivalry saw the Spaniard drop eight of the first 10 games then roar back for a five-set victory to reach his first Roland Garros final earlier this month.
More: Alcaraz Edges Sinner for First Roland Garros Final
After the red dust had settled on Alcaraz's 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 conquest that spanned four hours, nine minutes, Sinner was asked his view on the rivalry that electrifies the sport.
Australian Open champion Sinner sees change as the constant in this shifting rivalry.
Pointing out both young champions are adept at adjusting mid-match, Sinner said their next showdown is sure to tactically differ from today's five-set saga.
"I think we study each other very well. You can see a little bit of tension sometimes of both players and both sides just because we know each other slowly a little bit better," Sinner told the media in Paris. "Each time when we play against we expect a couple of things, and then, you know, to mix up the plans, you know, you make different choices sometimes on the court.
"I think next time obviously is going to be different. Let's see on what surface we play on. Also, that's very important. Best-of-three or best-of-five is also different. You know, Grand Slam, there is a different approach. But I think it's exciting, and I'm looking forward for hopefully some more."
World No. 2 Alcaraz is 5-4 lifetime vs. Sinner and improved his five-set record to 11-1 following his final win over Alexander Zverev, while the second-seeded Italian dropped to 6-8 in five-set matches.
Photo credit: BNP Paribas Open Facebook