Jannik Sinner on relationship with Carlos Alcaraz: "We are good friends, but still on court you feel a little bit nervous because you want to win"

Jannik Sinner is ready to take on the Shanghai spotlight after winning his third title this season in Beijing. He recently opened up about the unique dynamic he shares with fellow competitors, particularly Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner and Alcaraz are two of the most exciting young talents in men’s tennis. They have also developed a fierce rivalry, having faced each other seven times in their careers, with the former leading 4-3.

Their most recent encounter was in the semifinals of the China Open in Beijing last week, where Sinner prevailed in straight sets, 7-6(4), 6-1, to claim the ninth title of his career.

But despite their competitive nature, the two players have forged a strong friendship off the court. Sinner revealed that he feels a mix of emotions when he plays against the Spaniard.

"Every time when I play against him, I feel like we both try and push ourselves to the limit," he told atptour.com. "Both of us obviously hate losing, especially against each other. We have a very good relationship off court. I feel like we are good friends, but still on court you feel a little bit nervous because you want to win. You hate losing."

The Italian added that he enjoys the challenge of playing against Alcaraz, who has been dubbed the “next Rafael Nadal” by some experts. He said that facing the best players in the world helps him improve his game and his mindset.

"We both are very young, and we also feel like when we play, many people are watching," he said. "It’s a mix of everything and it’s obviously a huge pleasure to share the court with him. In this way, I always try to look forward to these matches. I feel when I play against the best players in the world I can really see where to improve, and that is basically my main goal."

Both players will be in action at the 2023 Shanghai Masters this week, where they received a bye in their first rounds. Jannik Sinner will face America's Marcos Giron in his opening match, while Carlos Alcaraz will take on Frenchman Gregoire Barrere.

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"I feel like the things I showed in Beijing last week were an improvement" - Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner at the 2023 China Open

In the same interview, Jannik Sinner stated that he is always looking for ways to get better and learn from his mistakes. He credited his coach Riccardo Piatti for helping him develop his game and his mentality.

"It’s not about when you win one big title that things are going to change dramatically, especially the mindset," he said. "I felt at the US Open I should have done a couple of things better. I recognized that I made a couple of mistakes and I tried to improve. I feel like the things I showed in Beijing last week were an improvement."

Sinner has shown remarkable improvement this season, winning titles in Montpellier, Toronto, and Beijing. He also reached his first Grand Slam semifinals at the Wimbledon Championships, where he lost to eventual runner-up Novak Djokovic.