After beating Stefanos Tsitsipas for the sixth straight time, Carlos Alcaraz booked the match-up many had hoped for since the men’s singles draw came out.
A blockbuster meeting with young rival Jannik Sinner, their first at a Grand Slam event since their folkloric US Open quarterfinal clash of 2022.
Former world No.1 Mats Wilander joined Alcaraz at Court Philippe Chatrier for the on-court interview and expressed the same excitement shared by fans everywhere.
“Next round, semifinals, you’re playing against Jannik Sinner,” Wilander began, to which cheers rang out from the stands. “The best tennis match I have ever seen – 2022 (US Open) quarterfinals, you and Jannik Sinner. You always play great matches. What is it like to play with Jannik?”
Alcaraz admitted it would be a difficult challenge facing someone he believed was playing the best tennis of anybody right now – and who will officially rise to world No.1 next week.
This was confirmed when Novak Djokovic announced his withdrawal from the tournament, due to a medial meniscus tear in his right knee.
“We’ve played great matches. As you said, the quarterfinal in 2022, but after this one, we’ve played great, great matches, high level,” Alcaraz said of facing Sinner, who beat Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets in an earlier quarterfinal.
“I’m glad to have him on the tour, to have him at this level, because thanks to him, I push myself to be better, to be a better player, to give my 100 per cent every day, to wake up in the morning and want to improve my game to try to beat him.
“I’m grateful to have him playing, I love watching him play as well. I’m ready to take that challenge.
“It is the match that everybody wants to watch. And I’m sure that he’s going to show his best tennis, myself as well, and let’s see who’s gonna win.”
Replied Wilander: “I can’t wait.”
Neither can we, for everything about this match-up ticks the boxes for what constitutes a great rivalry.
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Firstly, the head-to-head is poised at 4-4, and they’ve split their two Grand Slam meetings. Sinner won their fourth-round clash at Wimbledon in 2022 before Alcaraz turned the tables in New York, saving a match point in a five-hour epic before going on to win the title.
Their upcoming match pits the reigning Wimbledon winner (Alcaraz) against the reigning Australian Open champion (Sinner), with both seeking a place in their first Roland Garros final.
Then there’s the contrast in the way they play.
Speaking on The Sit-Down podcast recently, former Australian pro Paul McNamee described Sinner’s style of play as “linear” while Alcaraz’s was more angular.
He also believed Alcaraz was the more natural clay-courter, even predicting the 21-year-old could win 10 titles at Roland Garros.
READ MORE: Alcaraz “could win 10 Roland Garroses”, says McNamee
And indeed, while Sinner is making his semifinal debut here, this is the second straight year Alcaraz has reached this stage in Paris.
Twelve months ago there was possibly even more hype around his semifinal against Djokovic, during which he ultimately experienced crippling, tension-induced cramps.
But he learned from that experience – he avenged the loss to Djokovic just weeks later in a memorable Wimbledon final – and revealed he enjoyed working his way through trying circumstances.
“I love this kind of challenge, to have a really difficult battle against (Sinner). The previous matches that we've played I think it was like that, and I love that,” Alcaraz said.
“I love to find solutions, to find a way to beat him the way that I did in Indian Wells. For example, that 6-1 in the first set, and then I found a way to make him in trouble.”
That match, on a slow hard court in the Californian desert in March, was the last time they met. On clay, the scales are again potentially tipped in Alcaraz favour, given Sinner’s relationship with the surface.
However, as a winner of 33 of his 35 matches this season, and confirmation he will rise to world No.1, the young Italian’s confidence could not be higher.
“(Clay is) a very physical surface, and you play more tennis. Sometimes on hard court you hit fast for couple of balls and then it's over, or if you serve good, it's over. On this surface, there are some more key moments you have to understand,” said Sinner, who like Alcaraz has dropped just one set this fortnight.
“Every player struggles a little bit more on certain surfaces. Let's see what is coming, no?
“I think it's good to realise that you struggle a little bit. You have to understand yourself.”
Given both Sinner and Alcaraz entered Roland Garros this year under injury clouds, the fact this meeting has materialised feels extra special.
We await to see what unfolds in Paris on Thursday.