Carlos Alcaraz has admitted that he misses seeing Jannik Sinner on the tennis court, as the two rivals have rarely faced each other this season because of their respective injury problems.
Speaking to BBC Sport ahead of the Laver Cup in London, Alcaraz said Sinner’s absence has been noticeable and that he misses the challenge of playing against him.
“I miss him, I miss seeing him around, playing against him. He pushes me to be a better player,” Alcaraz said.
The pair have faced each other only once in 2026, with Sinner winning their Monte Carlo Masters final meeting. Sinner has since been sidelined by a knee injury, while Alcaraz missed almost five months earlier in the season because of a wrist problem.
Their rivalry dominated much of the 2025 season. They met six times and split the four Grand Slam titles between themselves.
Alcaraz said he has sent Sinner a few messages during his time away, particularly earlier in the year when the Italian was winning regularly.
“People will be waiting for those matches, so I think it’s going to be better [when he’s back],” he added.
Alcaraz is now preparing to return to competition at the Laver Cup, where he will represent Team Europe. Sinner is not competing at this year’s event as he continues his recovery.
