Amid scheduling complaints Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz set to play Korea exhibition mere days before Australian Open

Wednesday, 22 October 2025 at 15:30

Alcaraz and Sinner smile with their trophies at the 2025 US Open awards ceremony

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will continue their burgeoning rivalry onto a new country as they will face off in South Korea next year it has been confirmed on Wednesday.

Albeit some have already commented that it is potentially one that could be cancelled due to its proximity to a certain major tournament in the form of the Australian Open and also likely hints that both are unlikely to play many warm-ups if any before the Grand Slam.

The match will take place on January 10 at the Incheon Inspire Arena in Seoul prior to the Australian Open with the tournament set to start on 12 February in 2026 and with Sinner being defending champion, it is very likely he will start the tournament early.

"See you in Seoul" they wrote on their Instagram pages. "The Seoul clash between Alcaraz and Sinner was finalized as the ‘Hyundai Card Super Match.’ A Hyundai Card representative stated as per Chosun, “We will soon confirm and announce the date, venue, ticket sales schedule, and other details.”

Over the past two years, the leading lights have split the singles titles in men's tennis majors. Sinner won the Australian Open and US Open during the 2024 season and Australian Open and Wimbledon this year. While Alcaraz has gone back-to-back when it comes to the French Open and also regained the US Open. They also faced off in three consecutive major finals this year, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

Alcaraz is also set to snare the World No.1 by the end of the season with the Spaniard going into the Paris Masters and ATP Finals in a great position after Sinner couldn't produce at the Shanghai Masters. But even in the off season they are set to face off again in a debate that can be raised also about players complaining about scheduling but then playing exhibitions in other countries right before a major.

Read also

Alcaraz Daily

@alcarazdaily

·Follow

Carlos Alcaraz 🇪🇸 and Jannik Sinner 🇮🇹 will play an exhibition match in Seoul 🇰🇷 before the 2026 #AusOpen. 📍 January 10 - Incheon Inspire Arena 🏟️ 🇰🇷🇪🇸🇮🇹

10:14 AM · Oct 22, 2025

1.2K

Read 31 replies

Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief

Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.

Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.

See author's posts

claps 0visitors 0

"Talentless dog, you're a disgrace": Eva Lys and Maria Sakkari encounter vile abuse after Tokyo losses

“You understand very little about sport” Matteo Berrettini calls out the ‘madness’ behind Rune injury reactions