Hyundai Card Super Match: Carlos Alcaraz defeats Jannik Sinner in exhibition clash as dazzling rivalry continues into 2026

World number one Carlos Alcaraz has began 2026 with a 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory against Jannik Sinner in the Hyundai Super Card Match in Incheon, South Korea. The lucrative exhibition event was a chance to reignite the fascinating rivalry, with the Spaniard taking a slight advantage into the Australian Open.

While the majority of players on the ATP Tour are competing in a variety of events in Australia and Hong Kong, Alcaraz and Sinner have opted for a different approach heading into the Australian Open. The major event will be their first tour-level tournament of 2026 with exhibitons dominating their early schedule.

The first one would be in South Korea, where their immense battles on court would prolong. They have already produced some phenomenal matchups when facing each other on the court, producing some world-beating tennis that pushes each other to the limit.

After what had been a dominant 2025 for Alcaraz in terms of playing against his arch-rival, he traversed to South Korea without a victory in two prior clashes. A big reason for this was Sinner's dominance on indoor hardcourt surfaces, not losing a match in this scenery for a very long time and making it a formidable setting. He defeated Alcaraz in the Six Kings Slam and the ATP Finals final, asserting his authority over him and taking the boasting rights. However, this has once again swung in the direction of Alcaraz, who will travel to Melbourne with the momentum.

Sinner had the chance to take a very early advantage with just a singular break point, but he was unable to take this golden opportunity. These would be needed to be clinically capitalised by both players.

This was followed by a number of comfortable holds taking the score to 3-3. In a game with four deuces, the Italian mustered up another chance to gain serving advantage, but yet again he was unable to topple the world number one, who eventually held to sneak back in front.

Alcaraz was serving well but had not created any break openings. This was until the final point of the first set where he tied it at deuce before winning the next two points to not only clinch the first break of the match, but to win the first set as he took a big step towards getting one over his bitter rival.

The second set followed a similar pattern to the first set when opportunities were rare but at the same time unable to be take. It was Sinner who again managed to create himself a chance to sneak ahead but wasted it before two games later events repeated itself.

He would have been kicking himself when the match went all the way to a tiebreaker. Alcaraz strode into a 4-2 lead before the change of ends, but Sinner was quick to level up, not allowing his nemesis to get out of sight. He went 6-5 ahead and was in line to level the match up, but Alcaraz was not losing this match. He won the next two points on serve as he now had a match point. Unlike his wasteful opponent, he was not going to make any mistake, getting the job done and beginning 2026 with a positive result.

Their rivalry will continue in Melbourne, with them highly likely to repeat the fortunes of much of 2025 and face each other in a fourth consecutive Grand Slam final. However, the competition will be ferocious, and it will be fascinating to see if they can once again make more history.