"I don’t send him any messages, I continue on my way"- Jannik Sinner downplays seeing Carlos Alcaraz as a benchmark

World No. 6 Jannik Sinner has been held close to World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz for quite some time now and things are getting pretty heated up after the Italian won the 2023 Canadian Open, his maiden Masters 1000 title.

While many tennis pundits believe Sinner has what it takes to be the closest competition to Alcaraz in the coming days and form a close rivalry, Sinner himself has made it clear that such thoughts are the last thing on his mind at the moment.

Speaking in an interview with Corriere della Serra, the Italian proclaimed that he is focused only on his own tennis and nobody else. He further emphasized that he doesn't look at Carlos Alcaraz as a benchmark, adding that he wasn't looking to "send any messages" to the World No. 1.

“I don’t send him any messages, I continue on my way. If I look too much at others, I don’t focus on myself. And instead, I have to be good at leaving out any extra thoughts.”

On his way to winning his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto, Sinner beat the likes of Matteo Berrettini, Gael Monfils, Tommy Paul, and ultimately Alex de Minaur in the final. However, it was a shortlived joy for the 22-year-old as he fell in his opener at the Cincinnati Open the following week.

How have Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz fared so far in their short career?

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz shake hands with each other after their 2023 Miami Open matchup

Regarded as the next big things in men's tennis, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have impressed a lot of fans and pundits alike, delivering great tennis and equally impressive results in their short careers so far.

World No. 1 Alcaraz has been an absolute revelation in the sport, lifting two Grand Slam titles already before turning 21. He lifted his maiden Slam at the 2022 US Open, beating Casper Ruud in the final. By doing so, he became the youngest-ever World No. 1 in the history of the ATP and finished the year as the top-ranked men's tennis player.

He then broke the dominance that Novak Djokovic had at Wimbledon, beating the Serb in the final last month to take home his second Grand Slam. On the other hand, Sinner is yet to win a Slam but has lifted 8 professional titles already, including the Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open.

With the last Slam of the year, the US Open, coming up next, the Italian has a great opportunity in his hands to make it count and exact revenge on Alcaraz for his quarterfinal knockout last year. The duo have a 3-3 head-to-head record, with Sinner having won their most recent clash at the Miami Open earlier this year.