Andy Murray’s former coach Mark Petchey doesn’t want Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner to be too friendly with each other. Petchey wants the talented duo to maintain a mean rivalry on the court. Alcaraz and Sinner have the utmost respect for each other and share a good bonhomie off the court.
While Alcaraz is already a four-time Grand Slam champion, Sinner has won two Majors in his young career. Ergo, Alcaraz vs Sinner rivalry is touted as the next big thing in tennis as they are the current and future stars of the game.
“Carlos, it’s always fun to play with him (smiling). We are good friends off the court. On the court, we just try to give 100%, no? I think we have a good attitude on court,” Sinner said in a press conference during Indian Wells.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz has a 5-4 lead against Sinner in ATP Head-to-Head battle.
Petchey said on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast, “Don’t want it (Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner) to be too friendly. I don’t want love-ins on the court. I want it to mean something. You want to feel like when they walk out there that it’s all on the line. You go back to Lendl-Mac, Lendl-Connors, I love that era,” he said.
On the other hand, Alcaraz recently admitted he shares a great rivalry and friendship with Sinner in the Laver Cup. Alcaraz won eight points in the Laver Cup and helped Team Europe clinch the title against Team World.
“Well, a lot of people talk about it. I like hearing it, I’m not gonna lie. I hope so. I hope that we our rivalry is going to be or almost that the Big 3 had during the whole career,” Carlos Alcaraz said.
In the ongoing season, Sinner won the Australian Open and the US Open whereas Alcaraz registered wins at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
“I don’t know. This is the first year that we shared all the Grand Slams. Hopefully gonna keep going like that, sharing great moments, fighting for the great tournaments, the Grand Slams, Masters 1000, Masters,” Alcaraz said.”So let’s see how it’s gonna be in the future the next few years. If we’re gonna stay like that at this level, I think we are gonna build great rivalry, relationship off the court, as well,” he added.
Alcaraz will take on Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinal of the China Open.
