For more than two decades, the sport revolved around the Big 3—Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. They took home 65 of the 77 Grand Slams played during their era, delivering some of the most unforgettable matches in tennis history. Naturally, fans wondered who could possibly fill that void. But it turns out, the next generation was ready. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken the baton and sprinted, grabbing the last seven Grand Slam titles between them. But while the relationship between the Big Three has been widely covered, the question begs: what kind of dynamic exists between Sinner and Alcaraz?

Their rise has been anything but quiet. Alcaraz is World No. 2, Sinner sits at No. 1, and their rivalry has become the main event on the ATP Tour. Every time they step on court, expectations skyrocket. And they’ve delivered. Alcaraz leads their head-to-head 8-5, including a memorable five-set win in this year’s French Open final. That run even included five straight wins over Sinner. But the Italian struck back at Wimbledon, ending that streak with a four-set victory in their second Grand Slam final in a row. With matches that intense, it’s easy to assume things might be frosty behind the scenes. But according to the Spaniard, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Alcaraz said, “Trash-talking gets a lot of attention. People really like the idea that there is friction between us. That’s what sells. But although tennis is an individual sport, we are with the same players every week, day in and day out … Jannik and I, who have had great battles on the court, see each other a lot off of it. We talk, we train together sometimes. And in the end you forge a good relationship, a beautiful relationship … We want to win and beat each other, but then off court, being good people and getting along is another matter. For me that is one of the virtues and values of sport.”

Still, when the stakes are high, the fire is real. And Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill recently gave a glimpse into how seriously the Italian takes his Spanish rival.

How Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz push each other to the next level

Cahill, who completed a Career Grand Slam as a coach when Jannik Sinner won Wimbledon, said Carlos Alcaraz is very much on their radar.

The World No.1’s Wimbledon title marked their fourth Grand Slam as a team in 2024, including two Australian Opens and the US Open. That win at SW19 also snapped Sinner’s five-match losing streak against Alcaraz. “I would say that Jannik watches more Carlos matches than he does anybody else because he’s fascinated with the improvements that are coming in his game. He’s pushing us as coaches to make sure that he’s improving also as a tennis player as well,” Cahill told the press.

He added, “So the rivalry is real. It’s there. And hopefully it’s going to be there and real for the next 10 or 12 years.”

And it isn’t one-sided. The World No.2 has spoken openly about the motivation he draws from Sinner’s success. In a press conference, he said, “When I see him win titles, when I see him at the top of the rankings, it forces me to practice even harder every day. In practice, I’m just thinking about the things I have to improve to play against him. That’s great for me, having him, having such a great rivalry so far, just to give the best of me every day.”

And they’re not done yet. Both players will return to action at the Cincinnati Open, a key tune-up before the US Open, where Sinner has to defend his throne. So, who will take the next swing in this heavyweight saga? Let us know in the comments below!