"I think I'm playing forehand and he's playing backhand" - Alcaraz and Sinner open to halting prodigious rivalry to play doubles alongside each other

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have had a very intense rivalry over the past couple of years. Despite this, when not competing on the court they get on very well. This has lent itself to the idea of them playing a doubles match together, with both of them seemingly interested in the idea.

While they have played a bit of doubles in the past, they have both firmly made a name for themselves in the singles category. 2025 was the year where they both went to another level, almost undefeatable when stepping onto the court.

They shared the four major titles between then, making it eight in a row. They also have clashed in the prior three Grand Slam finals, with Alcaraz winning in Roland Garros and the US Open, with Sinner clinching glory at Wimbledon.

When competing against each other, it has been at the business end of tournaments when the stakes are at its highest. However, away from the competition they seem to get along really well, regularly been spotted talking and laughing together. They even had a practice together ahead of the ATP Finals in Turin, in which Sinner got the better of Alcaraz in the final.

All this friendly talk has coincided with the fascinating possibility of them not competing against each other, but with one another. Their most recent doubles expeditions have ended in defeats. Alcaraz teamed up with Emma Raducanu in the US Open mixed doubles event, losing their first match to Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula. Sinner, who pulled out of that event, last featured in a doubles match in the Halle Open, where him and fellow Italian Lorenzo Sonego were instantly dumped out.

"I think it would be fun at least one time to share the court in different ways, on the same side," Sinner stated ahead of their matchup in the lucrative Hyundai Card Super Match.

"Of course the schedule, and we are so focused on singles that it's very difficult because if then you go deep in singles and then you have to play doubles, you don't have the right recovery. But for one tournament I think it's great to do it, and we're going to talk about it maybe this year at a certain time where we feel like, or next year."

The world number one was also up to the possibility of this occurring, having already picked out which sides of the court they will go. "At least once would be fun," he said. "I think I'm playing forehand and he's playing backhand."

Unlike a lot of the players on the ATP Tour, Alcaraz and Sinner have opted to skip the first tournaments of the year in Australia to prioritise an exhibition in Incheon, South Korea. Here, they will be earning a staggering £1.7 million for just turning up and playing each other.

"I think coming here for two, three days, keep preparing, keep getting yourself ready for the new season, I think it was a great idea," Alcaraz said. "I'm just really happy that I'm able to do this event, this match with Jannik."

They will then traverse to Melbourne ahead of the Australian Open, continuing their preparations there. The pair of them will both feature among a star-studded lineup in the One Point Slam before both playing one singles match each. Alcaraz will take on Alex de Minaur on January 15 while Sinner will face off against Felix Auger-Aliassime on January 16.

In their quest to remain the dominant duo in the tennis world, Sinner is looking to create their own pathway and legacy in the sport. "We need to see how long we can keep up this level," he commented. "What the big three has done, we cannot compare ourselves with them, and we also don't want to. We are just ourselves and we want to make our own story."