Jannik Sinner at Laureus Awards already looking ahead: setting next goals
Jannik Sinner is not complaining about missing out on the Sportsman of the Year award and, indeed, from Madrid emphasizes his satisfaction at having taken part in the Laureus Awards 2026 ceremony. That’s not all: the Alto Adige champion frames his strategy ahead of the Masters 1000 to be held in the Iberian capital itself, and also his priorities in the months ahead. With Rome and Paris, facing Roland Garros, already largely in his personal sights.
“I’m very happy to be here,” Sinner stressed to ‘Sky Sport,’ “This award is given only once a year, it’s an almost unique moment. To be nominated for this event you have to have had an incredible season. Then it is a great opportunity to meet other athletes, talk to them and maybe even learn something from them. I also want to enjoy this moment, because in tennis sometimes you do one tournament after another, you never stop, and every now and then an evening like this is also good for you.”
But Sinner, as mentioned, focused mainly on the upcoming engagements he will have to face right in the Spanish capital. To be precise, the Madrid Masters 1000: “We are trying to play good tennis here, we know that in Madrid we will find a totally different court than all the others. You play on high ground, the ball flies. But I’m here to try to do my best and then obviously be ready for Rome. And after that there will be Paris, let’s say Roland Garros is the most important event in the coming months.”
The Sportsman of the Year award went to Carlos Alcaraz, but the evening also offered moments of great sportsmanship. Sinner wanted to send a message of closeness to his Spanish friend-rival, who is currently in the pits due to a delicate wrist injury, but did not hide his desire to see him facing him on the court again soon: “Carlos is going through a moment that is not easy. We all hope to see him back on the field as soon as possible. Maybe already in Rome. I, as an opponent, hope he will be there for Roland Garros as well. Because anyway when you want to win you aim to do it against the strongest players in the world. And he is definitely there. Others have had rivalries that lasted fifteen and more years. We are just getting started, so anything can still happen between us.”
Hopes of seeing Alcaraz back on the court in Rome seem very remote, however. Madrid tournament director Feliciano Lopez, who has experienced a similar problem firsthand during his own career, was drastic about the Spaniard’s situation: “I think it’s almost impossible for him to play in Rome, hopefully he can recover for Paris.” A prospect that would also weigh enormously in terms of ATP ranking: Alcaraz risks losing up to 3,000 points in the coming weeks, considering that last year he had triumphed at both the Internazionali d’Italia and Roland Garros.
For Sinner, however, the Madrid Masters 1000 – scheduled for April 22 to May 3 – represents a historic opportunity. By winning the tournament, the South Tyrolean would become the first tennis player to win five consecutive Masters 1000s, following successes in Paris-Bercy, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo. A record that would add to an already extraordinary statistic: Sinner has already won seven of the nine Masters 1000s on the circuit, and Madrid is one of the two still missing from his palmares, along with Rome itself. In the draw drawn this morning, the world No. 1 will start in the second round against a qualifier, in a draw that also features the heavy absences of Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic, who is not yet physically ready.
The rivalry with Alcaraz, meanwhile, continues to enthrall millions of fans far beyond the borders of the tennis world. This was evidenced by the Monte Carlo final, won by Sinner, which had record ratings: more than 3.2 million average total viewers in total audience between Sky and TV8, with a 25.1 percent share. It was precisely on that rivalry that Sinner wanted to dwell, drawing a parallel with the great duels of the past: “I entered the circuit when Roger almost didn’t play anymore. Rafa I saw him a little bit more and got to know him better. The same thing with Nole, who is still here and I am lucky enough to learn from him. However, I think each rivalry has its own story. We are two very normal people with the same values, including the importance we give to family and the will to always give our best. I think this is the most beautiful thing.”
