The 21-year-old from Murcia ended the season in third place in the ATP rankings almost 5000 points behind his great rival, also having to suffer the overtaking of Alexander Zverev in the last tournaments of the season. The 4-time Grand Slam champion will be seeded number 3 at the 2025 Australian Open, which is why the clash with Sinner could already take place in the semifinals.
These two young champions have already played some epic matches against each other, but they have never faced each other in the final of a Major or Masters 1000 yet. Jannik’s stratospheric results in 2024 have spurred the pride of Carlos, who has worked hard in recent weeks alongside his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The former world No.1 will have to be more consistent next year and will have to eliminate the ups and downs that have characterized his career so far. Alcaraz has also decided to change his schedule compared to the past, preferring to play some tournaments on hard courts instead of going to South America to play on red clay.
As in recent seasons, the Spaniard will not play official tournaments in 2025 before making his debut at the AO. Just like Sinner, the 21-year-old from Murcia will play a couple of exhibition matches at Melbourne Park in the week leading up to the Happy Slam.
Carlitos is practicing hard
In the meantime, Carlitos is practicing very hard in the Ferrero Academy and his level is very high indeed. According to reports from well-known journalist German R. Abril, the Spanish champion’s pre-season went very well and Alcaraz is ready to start 2025 in style. A video of the Spaniard practicing with Lithuanian Vilius Gaubas has been released on social media, showing great fluidity in his movements combined with the usual power from the baseline.
Alcaraz and Sinner will be the players to beat again next year, although the world number 2 is Alexander Zverev. The German ace had great consistency in 2024 and won two Masters 1000 titles (in Rome and Paris-Bercy), but he did not show the same peaks of the Italian and the Spaniard.
In a recent interview with ‘Tennis Magazin’, Sascha praised Jannik and Carlitos: “I’ve known Sinner since he was 16 or 17 years old. He trained with Riccardo Piatti near Monte Carlo. Whenever it rained, we went there because there was a hall there. So I’ve known him since he was a young boy at the academy.
In terms of tennis, he absolutely deserves to be number one in the world. He has won two Grand Slam titles, three Masters titles and the ATP Finals. He is the best player in the world, he has won the most titles.”
The German ace continued: “Carlos is someone I really get on well with. We’ve had some special moments together, playing the biggest matches against each other on the court and spending a bit more time together off the court.
That’s what has developed. Every time we play, and every time we’ve played this year, it’s been very a high level with a lot of entertainment to watch and it’s just fun to be on the court with him.”
Alcaraz is ready
If the Spaniard eliminates ups and downs during the season, his rivalry with Sinner could take tennis to a new dimension. The 21-year-old from Murcia is working this aspect and 2024 has shown him what his weaknesses are right now. The 4-time Grand Slam champion has won ‘only’ 75% of the matches in Masters 1000 tournaments this year and has been surprised by second-rate opponents when he has not played his best tennis. In addition, the Spaniard suffered a lot from the defeat in the final of the Olympic tournament and this affected his results at the Cincinnati Masters 1000 and especially at the US Open.
