“It wasn’t an easy decision, but after Turin, the goal is to get off on the right foot in Australia,” said Jannik Sinner after withdrawing from Davis Cup Finals in Bologna next month. With Sinner choosing to prioritize extra rest ahead of the Australian Open, his decision to skip the Italian Davis Cup Finals hasn’t gone down well at home, especially with one compatriot and former player. And what’s more is that Sinner appears to have confirmed yet another exhibition appearance, following his Six Kings Slam win. And it is going to have him lock horns with his renowned archrival.

Earlier today Sinner shared a mysterious post on Instagram, writing, “Ciao! @hyundaicard 👋🏻”  in the caption. Along with that, he shared an image that only read “See you in Korea!” along with his signature. The image was titled “Super Match,” hinting at a possible showcase event or face-off with another player.

Well, Sinner’s opponent in this alleged exhibition event is going to be none other than Carlos Alcaraz. Similar to the Italian star, the six-time Grand Slam winner also shared a cryptic post on his Instagram. “Hola! 👋🏻 @hyundaicard 🔥,” he simply wrote alongside the same “See you in Korea” image as Sinner’s, only in a different font and with his own signature.

As if fans haven’t already seen them battle it out on the court in multiple finals this season, Sincaraz mania is set to take over once again. It hasn’t been even a week since the two met during the Six Kings Slam final, where Sinner bested Alcaraz yet again. Now, this unconfirmed event has only drummed up the anticipation for another guaranteed meeting between the two.

However, this announcement has come amidst a flurry of backlash against Sinner. After he chose to skip national duties for Italy, questions popped up about his intentions, with him appearing at a lucrative event like the Six Kings Slam, where he won $6 million. Former Italian ATP pro Nicola Pietrangeli wasn’t a fan of Sinner’s decision, lambasting him for his choices. As reported by Punto de Break, Pietrangeli minced no words when he declared, “It’s a big slap in the face for Italian sport.”

He also debated Sinner’s admission of it being a “tough” choice to skip the Davis Cup. “I don’t understand when he says it was a tough choice, we’re talking about playing tennis, not going to war,” the 92-year-old added. “I see that today the world is moving for money and abandoning the heart.”

However, not everyone is upset with the four-time Grand Slam champion and World No. 2.

Italy’s Davis Cup captain defends Jannik Sinner’s decision

For the uninitiated, Jannik Sinner has been a constant in Italy’s Davis Cup teams for the last four seasons. He has participated in the event in the 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 editions while helping his country win the trophy twice.

Italy’s Davis Cup captain Filippo Volandri also knows how much he has already contributed. After confirming his “unavailability” for the next month’s event in Bologna, Volandri emphasized, “The Davis Cup is, and will remain, always his home, and I am sure that Jannik will soon be part of the team again.” He added, “In the meantime, I can count on a group ready to fight and give everything for the blue jersey.”

In his absence, Italy will now look toward Lorenzo Musetti (World No. 8) and Flavio Cobolli (World No. 22) to defend the title this time. The team will kick off the quarterfinal campaign against Austria.

On the other hand, Sinner is set to appear in his next ATP event this week after his $6 million glory in Riyadh. He has arrived in Vienna for the Austrian Open. On Wednesday, he will begin his campaign against Germany’s Daniel Altmaier. After capturing the trophy at the 500-level event two years ago, the Italian Machine is looking to replicate that result as the year-end finals loom.