Carlos Alcaraz thrives in the embrace of a roaring crowd. A connection often punctuated by his celebratory finger to his ear, delivering a fierce performance charged by the roars of spectators. However, the energy of a home crowd is unique. Remember when he won his second successive Madrid Open title in 2023? Alcaraz expressed, “Once again, it has been amazing. The crowd, my people, since the first day, were cheering my name. It is really amazing to have a lot of people behind you and supporting you and pushing you on.” But how does Alcaraz confront the challenge of quieting such fervent support when facing an opponent on their own soil?

The young Spaniard appears well-prepared at the Italian Open for that! On Friday, Alcaraz made a bold statement with a 6-3, 7-6(4) semi-final win over home favorite Lorenzo Musetti at the ATP Masters 1000. He battled through Musetti’s mid-match surge and the loud, passionate crowd to reach his 25th tour-level final. After the match, Carlos gave a nod to the fans, saying, “Today the crowd was for Lorenzo. So it wasn’t easy. It was great honestly. The atmosphere was great. I have to say thank you for them being respectful as well.”

Alcaraz’s level dipped at times during the clash. The third seed lost two games in a row at 4-1 in the first set and had to fight back from 2-4 in the second as Musetti fed off the roaring Campo Centrale crowd. Carlos acknowledged, “Obviously there are some times they were cheering for him in some moments between serves or whatever. But in general they were respectful. So I have to thank them.” He pushed ahead to a 6-5 lead, dropped a match point on return, but held his nerve in a tense tie-break to advance to the final on just his second trip to the Italian capital.

Alcaraz’s win punched his ticket to his fourth final of the season at the Italian Open. Now, all eyes turn to a potential showdown with Jannik Sinner on May 17. The Spaniard, boasting a 26-2 clay record since last May, is ready for whatever comes. “In the final, let’s see who I’m gonna play against. Both are playing great. Jannik… I mean, everybody saw the match against Casper. It was a huge level. Let’s see. If I’m gonna play against Tommy Paul, I have to be ready for that. If I play Jannik, I have to be ready for that battle. And obviously dealing with the crowd. It’s gonna be an interesting Sunday for sure.” Carlos said, sizing up the challenge.

Jannik has been sensational lately. On Thursday, he crushed Casper Ruud 6-0, 6-1 in just 64 minutes, dropping only seven points. Even Ruud admitted, “It’s as near as perfect that I witnessed, at least as a player playing someone.” Sinner’s blistering pace and precision left Ruud struggling.

Add on a passionate crowd and Carlos is up for quite a challenge, right? But he has been the last player to beat Jannik, winning their last three battles, including the 2024 China Open final and French Open semifinals. The Italian’s last win over Carlos was at the 2023 China Open semis. But with Sinner’s recent form, everyone wonders if he can turn the tide.

Ultimately, the rematch hinges on Jannik’s semifinal against Tommy Paul, deciding if the final showdown happens. Whether it’s a familiar foe or a new challenger, Alcaraz knows how much he “needs” Jannik on the tour.

Carlos Alcaraz admits how much Sinner pushed him to play better

On May 5, the 23-year-old made his much-anticipated return to the Tour following a three-month doping ban. The excitement was palpable- about 5,000 fans showed up just for his first practice session. The buzz around the world number one’s comeback has been electric, and everyone’s talking.

Carlos Alcaraz once said he and Sinner “are not close friends,” but their mutual respect runs deep. The Spaniard, who holds the lead in their 6-4 H2H, expressed how happy he is to see Sinner back when speaking to Tennis Channel, “It [Sinner’s comeback to the tour] is great, honestly. I have seen him around, for me, it’s great to have him back. Honestly, I need him on the tour because, I mean, he pushes me to be a better player and give 100% every day, to be better.”

He added, “Of course, I am a fan of tennis, and I think that tennis needs him to bring in new fans. His tennis is huge, it’s insane, I love watching him play. So, having the chance to see him and watch his tennis again is great, so I’m just really, really happy, but it’s a different feeling. That’s great for me, for tennis, and for the fans in Rome.”

If Sinner wins his semifinal against Paul, he’ll set up an electric match against Carlos Alcaraz. With the passionate Italian crowd cheering loud, will the Spaniard deliver yet another upset and take the crown? Drop your thoughts below!