Jannik Sinner vs. Carlos Alcaraz: Aryna Sabalenka’s Choice Reignites the Debate

The debate over who is better—Jannik Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz—also involves the WTA No. 1, Aryna Sabalenka. The Belarusian tennis player, speaking to ‘First&Red,’ identified the Italian as the player she feels she most resembles from a technical standpoint, while also expressing great admiration for the player from Murcia, whose talent, creativity, and constant pursuit of improvement she appreciates.

“You just had to ask me this question, didn’t you?” Sabalenka joked. “As far as I’m concerned, I prefer Jannik—we have similar playing styles, a good forehand, and an effective backhand. We both have an aggressive style of tennis: I’ll say it again, I see myself in him when I watch him play.”

“Of course, it’s not that I don’t like Alcaraz: he moves exceptionally well on the court, reads every situation well, and it’s clear that he enjoys playing. He’s also a player who’s open to new ideas; he’s eager to improve precisely because someone like Sinner is challenging him for the number one spot. Lately, he’s changed the way he serves and tweaked some aspects of his game.”

If it’s true that Sabalenka prefers Sinner, then it’s also true that this rivalry helps both players continually raise the bar: “I have my own preference, but I also recognize that when Alcaraz beat Jannik at Roland Garros 2025, after saving three match points, it was incredible. When they faced off a few weeks later at Wimbledon, though, I rooted for Jannik: I felt bad about how things had gone in Paris.”