Overview
- After a hamstring issue ended his season and ruled him out of the Davis Cup Finals, Carlos Alcaraz scheduled exhibitions on December 7 against Frances Tiafoe in New Jersey, December 8 against Joao Fonseca in Miami, and a January 10 showcase with Jannik Sinner in Seoul.
- Rafael Nadal said Alcaraz could equal his 22 majors if he stays healthy and argued that Alcaraz and Sinner “need someone to push them” given their gap over the field.
- Tony Roche backed the Alcaraz–Sinner rivalry to challenge Big Three benchmarks but cautioned that matching their longevity hinges on injury avoidance and smarter pacing.
- Alcaraz and Sinner have split the last eight Grand Slams, contested three straight major finals in 2025, and Sinner closed the year by winning the ATP Finals in Turin.
- The Australian Open is Alcaraz’s missing major, with quarterfinal losses to Novak Djokovic in 2025 and Alexander Zverev in 2024, while Sinner has won the event the past two years.