Former ATP Tour star Jack Sock has questioned how close Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are off the court, suggesting that the narrative of their friendship was “being pushed way harder than reality.”
World No 1 Alcaraz and world No 2 Sinner have dominated the ATP Tour across the past two seasons, with the two splitting the last eight Grand Slam men’s singles titles between them.
2025 saw Alcaraz seal the year-end No 1 ranking and claim a staggering eight titles, including victories at the French Open and US Open, while Sinner won six titles — including Australian Open and Wimbledon triumphs.
The pair met in six finals across 2025, including three straight Grand Slam finals in Paris, SW19, and New York, alongside the ATP Finals.
Alcaraz and Sinner appear to be comfortably clear of their fellow ATP colleagues, and, despite the significance of the matches they often play, their relationship is known to be hugely respectful.
The Spaniard and Italian are hugely complimentary of each other during presentation ceremonies and off the court, with many hailing the perceived friendship between the two.
However, former world No 8 and three-time doubles Grand Slam champion Sock has now suggested some have pushed the narrative of a friendship between the two too far.
Speaking on Nothing Major this week, the American suggested that Alcaraz and Sinner were unlikely to be as “close” as many suggest.
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“I think Carlos would be more open to it [a friendship], based on personality. I think Jannik seems very closed off to his bubble and to his people,” said Sock.
“I think tennis fans in general obviously loved the Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] narrative and everything, and they are good friends, and I think because they’re retired now and not around, people want that so much that they’re pushing this.
“Every tournament, I feel like every week now, you go on Twitter and it’s like: ‘Oh, Carlos and Jannik, look at this interaction they had as they’re passing by on the practice court.’
“Just because you dap somebody up and smile doesn’t mean you guys are like really close friends. Maybe it turns into that over the years with the rivalry and everything, but I think at the current moment, I think it’s being pushed way harder than reality.
“I agree that they’re friends, but the narrative that they’re really close is being pushed.”
The last meeting between Alcaraz and Sinner on court this year came at the ATP Finals in Turin, where the Italian prevailed in straight sets to successfully defend his title.
However, despite that defeat, Alcaraz still has a 10-6 advantage in their head-to-head.
All eyes will be on their rivalry in 2026, as to whether the Spaniard can move further ahead or if Sinner can close the gap in their head-to-head — and if anyone can come close to challenging their dominance.
The pair are set to meet in an exhibition match in South Korea in early January, shortly before the start of the first Grand Slam event of the year: the Australian Open.
Alcaraz heads into Melbourne looking to complete the Career Grand Slam, while Sinner will look to win a third straight title at the tournament.
The post Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner ‘friends’ theory being ‘pushed way harder than reality’ appeared first on Tennis365.
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