Sinner: Class is on the field, not in words

In an interview at the 2025 Beijing Open, Sinner said he wanted to stay away from debates about the players' qualifications, including comparisons with Alcaraz.

"Everything is decided only on the court, by specific results ", the Italian tennis player said on September 25. "We are on the track, and the answer lies there. Statements or arguments mean nothing. We are doing new things, for new goals ".

While Sinner played in Beijing, Alcaraz chose the Tokyo Open. Last season, Alcaraz defeated Sinner in the final in Beijing and this season won two Grand Slam finals at Roland Garros and the US Open. Sinner lost 10 out of 15 meetings with Alcaraz since the beginning of his career.

Sinner commented that this season was not very good for him, even though he won two of the four Grand Slams and continuously played in finals after a three-month ban. "This year is very special because of the ups and downs, the lessons, " he said. "We're working on new things, I've made more mistakes and it will help me improve ".

One of Sinner's self-proclaimed weaknesses is physical strength. He therefore added therapist Alejandro Resnicoff to the team. "He has 15 years of experience and it was an honor for me to invite him. He is a very honest person and respects his teammates, " the 24-year-old star shared.

Sinner opened the ATP 500 Beijing event with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over veteran Marin Cilic, before meeting Terence Atmane in the second round on September 27. He aims to win the tournament for the second time, after the first in 2023. This is a momentum step for Sinner to enter the Shanghai Masters, where Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are both present.

From Tokyo, Alcaraz said that Sinner is still the number one competitor at every ATP Tour event. The Spanish tennis player said: "I have no doubt that Sinner will be much stronger after the US Open. He has improved continuously for two years, something very few people can do. Matches with him are always rewarding for me ".

In addition, Alcaraz also affirmed that he wants to sit on the same table with the monuments of tennis, although he did not set a specific goal on the number of Grand Slams to achieve in his career. With 6 Grand Slams at the age of 22, Alcaraz focuses on the short-term goal of maintaining top form and maintaining the number one position in the ATP.

"I know I have achieved important achievements, but I don't take them for granted and the future is still a question mark. I don't think about Novak Djokovic's 24 Grand Slams or anything like that. This is the best season of my career mine, I played excellent tennis and felt like I had grown a lot. I want to focus on one day at a time, doing everything the right way to become a better version on the field and off, " he said.