“Now everything is over and I’m happy about it. I have low expectations for this tournament, I want to see where my level is,” Jannik Sinner admitted candidly in his pre-tournament press conference, setting a modest tone ahead of his return to the Italian clay. But low expectations didn’t hold the top seed. Riding the momentum from his AO triumph, Sinner surged to the final, only to be stopped by his fierce rival Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. With their head-to-head now 8–4 in favor of the Spaniard, in a surprising turnaround, Alcaraz revealed why he kept his distance during Sinner’s three-month suspension. And what’s his reason?

Upon his return to the tour at the Italian Open, the 3-time GS winner Jannik Sinner opened up about the emotional weight of his three-month absence. During his pre-tournament press conference, the Italian revealed that his interactions with fellow players had been limited during the suspension. “I haven’t spoken to almost anyone. I’ve spoken to Draper, we’re great friends and he came to train with me, then with Sonego. At the beginning of the suspension I received some surprising messages from certain players, while from others from whom I perhaps expected something, nothing arrived,” Sinner shared candidly, hinting at an unexpected silence from some peers.

Despite a widely discussed camaraderie between Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the Spaniard now admitted he had not reached out during that time. After defeating Sinner in the Rome final, Alcaraz addressed the topic in his post-match press conference, acknowledging the gap in communication during Sinner’s absence, adding another layer to their compelling on-court rivalry.

“Well, I mean, that three months I can’t feel him because I wasn’t in that position. I mean, I can understand him that he was surprise about some players who call him. I didn’t call him. I didn’t talk to him in that three months,” Alcaraz confessed, offering an unfiltered glimpse into the emotional complexities behind the scenes.

The 4-time GS champion further reflected on Sinner’s right to feel disappointment, even as he remained unsure if the remarks were directed at him. “But it wasn’t about if I was agreed or not. I mean, I was playing. I was in my feelings, as well. Honestly, I can understand him that he was surprised about some other players who didn’t call him. It is in his rights to say it. I have to say that I don’t know if he said that because of me or not,” Alcaraz noted, recognizing the emotional toll that time away from the tour can have among players.

Despite not reaching out directly, Alcaraz addressed that he had been silently supportive, sending positive energy in hopes of Sinner’s recovery and return. “I don’t know if he was thinking about me, he wasn’t thinking about me. I don’t know that. What I can say is I (indiscernible) him when he got injured sometimes just giving him my good energy just to have him back as soon as possible. It is about we’re playing, fighting each other. In that three months, I can understand him, what he said. Honestly, I don’t know if he was thinking about some players or others,” he added, underscoring the layered nature of their off-court relationship.

After a long wait, Rome was alive with tennis fever again, but Jannik Sinner had never advanced beyond the quarter-finals there. Barred from official training during most of his suspension, the top seed used the downtime to reset, skiing, attending fashion shows, and exploring museums, a blessing in disguise, said trainer Marco Panichi. Notwithstanding his defeat by Alcaraz, he will likely find his request granted, aligning with his pre-tournament statement, particularly given his loss to Alcaraz at last year’s Roland Garros.

Alcaraz elucidated his reasons for not contacting Sinner and subsequently shared his insights into the final match, a match he ultimately won.

“Just proud about myself,” Carlos Alcaraz gets candid on recent win

Carlos Alcaraz extended his lead over the Italian in the race for “Big Titles” with a commanding win in Sunday’s Internazionali BNL d’Italia final. The Spaniard now boasts 11 Big Titles, an elite combination of GS victories, ATP Masters 1000 trophies, ATP Finals titles, and Olympic singles gold medals. At just 22 years old, Alcaraz continues to etch his name into tennis history with his consistent dominance at the sport’s highest level.

Fresh off a Monte-Carlo title just weeks prior, the Spaniard has now claimed multiple Big Titles in four consecutive seasons. His 7th ATP Masters 1000 crown in Rome also means he has now won at least one title at each of the season’s 1st five Masters 1000 events, an achievement that underscores his versatility and hunger for success. Remarkably, since making his elite-level debut at the 2021 Miami Open, Alcaraz has already climbed into a tie for the 8th-most Masters 1000 titles in history, joining Michael Chang and Alexander Zverev.

Speaking after his straight-sets win over Sinner, Alcaraz reflected on the precision and poise he brought to the final. “Just proud about myself, the way that I approached the match mentally,” he added. “Tactically think I did it pretty well from the first to the last point. I maintained my level during the whole match.”

He also added, “Beating Jannik, winning Rome. I think both things mixed together give you a great confidence coming to Paris. I always say that the final is not about playing, the final is about winning, to go for it. I just repeated [that to] myself all the time.”

With an astounding 11–2 record in Big Title finals, Carlitos’ only losses coming to Novak Djokovic, Alcaraz now turns his attention to Roland Garros, where he’ll aim to defend the crown he lifted last year after defeating Alexander Zverev. Can he do it again? Well, the form says yes!