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Jannik Sinner enjoying rivalry with Carlos Alcaraz despite streak ending - ‘Hopefully it has just started’

ByDarren Beattie

Published 21/03/2024 at 19:05 GMT

Jannik Sinner had his 19-match winning streak ended recently by Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-final of Indian Wells - but the Italian hopes his growing rivalry with the 20-year-old is just beginning. The pair are tennis' hottest prospects and intriguingly, they are on opposite sides of the draw in the Miami Open, setting up the possibility of a mouth-watering rematch in the Sunshine State.

Watch highlights as Alcaraz beats Sinner at Indian Wells to end Italian’s winning run

Video credit: TNT Sports

The growing rivalry between two of tennis' hottest prospects Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz has fans gripped and the former hopes the pair can compete with each other at the highest level for many years to come.

Alcaraz emerged victorious in the most recent meeting to seal victory in the Indian Wells semi-final, ending Sinner's 19-match winning streak in the process, before beating Daniil Medvedev in the final.

After eight meetings between the duo, they each have four wins, with Alcaraz also prevailing in last year's semi-final in California.

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Alcaraz is the top seed in Miami and will face Aleksandar Vukic or Roberto Carballes Baena in his first match, while second seed Sinner is on the other side of the draw, meaning a mouth-watering rematch is possible.

Sinner, 23, insists he has nothing but respect for his 20-year-old nemesis and looks forward to many more battles with the Spaniard in the future.

'To claim Sunshine Double would be incredible' - Alcaraz up for Miami challenge

Video credit: SNTV

"I enjoy it [the rivalry], hopefully it has just started," Sinner told press ahead of his Miami Open round of 64 match with Andrea Vavassori on Friday.

"He’s an incredible player and usually when we play it's a very good match up. We both try our best on the court. We have a lot of respect for each other.

"Off the court we don't speak that much because he has his own things and I have my things, but on the court he's a player who can show so many things on the court.

"He has a lot of emotions, he shows a really good fighting spirit. Everyone is different, I am not showing so many emotions on the court, but it works as well for my side.

"I’m very happy always when I face him and it gives me a chance to see a new perspectives for what I have to work on.

"Last year I lost against him also in the semi-finals there. I just try to be ready and hopefully I can do also this year the same."

Sinner dismissed the notion that the pressure of protecting his 19-match winning run had weighed heavily on his shoulders.

Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) holds the BNP Paribas Open championship trophy after winning an ATP finals tennis match played on March 17, 2024.

Image credit: Getty Images

"It's just a match," he responded.

"Every tournament you go to, it's a new opportunity and here is a new opportunity again for me to show some good tennis.

"There are tough situations on the court which I have to solve, like in every other match and then that's it.

"No, I was not even thinking about the wins and the losses throughout the year.

"I knew that the point [the defeat] was going to come. I’m happy that it came in a quite late stage of a tournament which means a lot to me, the semi-final in a 1000 event is still a great result."

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