Reports indicate that tennis enthusiasts may witness another thrilling showdown between rising stars Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner before the close of 2023. As detailed by Italian journalist Stefano Semeraro of La Stampa, an exhibition match featuring Alcaraz and Sinner is scheduled to take place at the JC Ferrero Academy on December 22. Both players, already engaged in their preseason preparations, are presently in Spain, gearing up for this anticipated encounter.
Sinner, situated in Alicante, a prominent port city along Spain’s southeastern Costa Blanca, has chosen this locale for his training regimen, continuing until December 21. Subsequently, he plans to embark on a brief hour-long journey to Murcia to face Alcaraz in their scheduled match.
It’s not unfamiliar territory for Sinner, who previously trained in Alicante alongside coaches Darren Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi. His time there last year notably contributed to a successful showing in 2023.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz recently concluded his stay in Mexico, where he combined vacationing with efforts to promote tennis within the country. His activities included an exhibition match against Tommy Paul in Mexico City, drawing a crowd of nearly 30,000 fans. Additionally, Alcaraz conducted tennis clinics for guests in Los Cabos before returning to his hometown in Murcia.
Celebrated in his community, Alcaraz had the honor of inaugurating the holiday festivities by lighting up the renowned Great Christmas Tree with an LED tennis ball. Thousands gathered to witness the spectacular commencement of the seasonal celebrations.
Recognized as two of tennis’s most promising talents, Alcaraz and Sinner, separated by a mere two years in age, have crossed racquets seven times on the ATP Tour, with the 20-year-old World No. 2 currently trailing 3-4 in their head-to-head encounters.
Alcaraz’s upcoming schedule includes an intensive week of training at the Ferrero Tennis Academy, followed by a high-profile exhibition match against Novak Djokovic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This exhibition is part of the Gulf Kingdom’s government-sponsored annual sporting and entertainment festivities.
It’s unlikely that the Spaniard will participate in any warm-up events preceding the Australian Open. In contrast, Sinner is slated to compete in the Kooyong Classic scheduled for January.
The tennis world eagerly awaits the exhibition clash between Alcaraz and Sinner, anticipating another enthralling chapter in the rivalry between these two future stalwarts set to leave an indelible mark on the sport.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2023
Currently ranked no.
2, Carlos played his last match on the 18th of November when he lost to world no.1 Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-2 in the semifinal in the Nitto ATP Finals (draw).At the moment, during this season the Spaniard owns an overall 65-12 record. The Spaniard has won 6 titles in 2023 in Buenos Aires, Indian Wells, Barcelona, Madrid, London and Wimbledon. Carlos was the finalist in Rio de Janeiro and Cincinnati.
Jannik Sinner in 2023
At the moment ranked no.4 (career-high), Sinner played his last match on the 26th of November when he defeated world no.12 Alex De Minaur 6-3 6-0 in the Rubber 2 of the Davis Cup (draw).
This season the Italian has achieved a 64-15 win-loss record. Sinner has won 4 titles in 2023 in Montpellier, Toronto, Beijing and Vienna. Sinner was the runner-up in Rotterdam, Miami and the Nitto ATP Finals.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner fought against each other 8 times. Their actual head to head record is 4-4. Before, the last time they played each other, Jannik Sinner won 7-6(4) 6-1 in the semifinal in Beijing (China Open) on the 3rd of October 2023.
You can see them in action in the following highlights.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner |
Embed from Getty Images |