Great rivals push each other to new heights, and the burgeoning rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner is no exception. This season has seen Alcaraz notch a hat trick of victories against Sinner, including his thrilling win at the 2024 China Open. But as the Spaniard inches his way through the Shanghai Masters tournaments, he reveals a key element that drives him in every tournament.

On Wednesday, Alcaraz continued his impressive run at the Shanghai Masters, defeating Gael Monfils in straight sets to advance to the quarterfinals against Tomas Machac. On the other hand, Sinner defeated Ben Shelton and will be facing Daniil Medvedev next. So if both players win their upcoming matches, a highly anticipated Alcaraz-Sinner semifinal clash could materialize.

Following this realization, a reporter asked Alcaraz, “It’s funny because you’ve been playing after Jannik Sinner every time… I guess he’s been on the TV every time you’ve come to court. Have you been thinking about potentially meeting him in the SF?” Looking very positive and confident, Carlitos responded, “Well, it’s always in your mind. Every tournament I go to, I want to go further. That means I’m gonna play against the best players in the world. Obviously, it’s a great goal to reach the SF. Let’s see if he’s gonna make it as well.”

Further revealing his eagerness for high-stakes competition and the thrill of competing with the No.1 player again, Alcaraz said, “I’ve seen his matches before mine. Playing at a great level. Watching his matches before mine helps me a lot to put on a good show when I step on the court. Let’s see tomorrow if I play after him or not. Happy we’re both going further.”

With six titles this season including the US Open and the Australian Open, Sinner has added to his pristine resume. This makes Carlos Alcaraz’s quest for the top spot even more challenging, though not impossible, as he, like Sinner, has also been in top form for most parts of this season.

Although the American swing didn’t go as per expectations for Carlitos, he made an electrifying comeback at the 2024 Laver Cup, leading Team Europe to a stunning victory over Team World and bringing them back to the winner’s stand after a two-year drought.

And, riding that wave of momentum, Alcaraz stormed into the China Open final against Sinner. Despite dropping the first set in a nail-biting tiebreak, the Spaniard showed his true champion spirit, rallying from 3-0 down in the final tiebreak to unleash an incredible seven-point streak. He eventually clinched the match with a thrilling score of 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3).

Alcaraz has been gaining a significant edge in this rivalry and it’s clear he is shooting for the stars. But it makes one wonder if Sinner shares this sentiment.

Sinner’s revelation on what his rival brings to the court

Alcaraz has won all three of the encounters against Sinner this season. And it has led Sinner to the daunting realization.“I wake up in the morning trying to understand how to beat Alcaraz. I feel like—at least talking from my side—he pushes me to do better. I wake up in the morning trying to understand what I can do better trying to beat him next time, which is something nice for me as a player,” the Italian recently said at the Shanghai Masters.

Going on to refer to their on-court dynamic as “fire and ice,” Sinner praised Alcaraz’s aggressive and flamboyant playing style compared to his own consistent and defensive approach, “It also shows that everyone is different. I believe that I have to take something from him as a player, trying some different shots sometimes, which I feel like makes me grow as a player,” Sinner further added.

As the saying goes, if you can’t beat ’em, join ”em—by analyzing each other’s strategies and surprising their opponents along the way. Both No. 1 and 2 know how to do it well. Who do you think will win the ongoing Shanghai Masters though? Let us know in the comments below.