The Spaniard most recently withdrew from the Canadian Masters following a hectic, but successful, last few months on the tour.
“Last year, after the Olympics, I struggled to express myself and I didn’t achieve great results,” began Alcaraz, in his future with Gazetta Dello Sport.
“So, from now on, I won’t have many points to defend until the end of the season. I will give my best in the next tournaments to win as much loot as possible. I know that Sinner doesn’t care if he has a lot of points to defend, he is a great fighter who always plays to win and does not let himself be conditioned by this.
“But I’m ready for the challenge, right now my first goal is to regain the first position in the ranking. Now I’m preparing for the American tournaments, in order to get in top shape for the US Open”.
The pair have now contested the last two Grand Slam finals, splitting the victories.
Alcaraz was successful at the French Open, saving three championship points to claim a historic 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) victory in a match which lasted over five hours – the longest final in the tournament’s history.
Just a few weeks later, Sinner avenged the heartbreaking loss via a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win to claim his maiden Wimbledon title.
Overall, the Italian and the Spaniard have won all of the last seven Grand Slams.
“It’s a great thing for our sport, because it entices people to watch tennis and play it,” added Alcaraz.
“Our challenges, like the latest ones at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, are always highly anticipated. The more games we play against, the more people we will involve in this sport. Also, because every time we face each other we both push ourselves beyond our limits.
“Tennis is a particular sport that allows you to be great rivals on the court and, at the same time, to respect each other.
“Sinner and I are good friends, we can talk about many things off the court. I have great respect for him, he is a nice person, I am sure we will always be able to maintain this relationship”.
As the world No. 2 remarked upon, Alcaraz’s level dipped following a heartbreaking gold medal match against Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Spaniard would lose in his first match at the Cincinnati Masters and in the second round at the US Open.
It would take until Beijing before Alcaraz reached a showpiece match, beating Sinner for the third time in 2024, 6-7(6), 6-4, 7-6(3)
“Yes, I have had it (a mental coach), for about five years now, and it helps me a lot,” admitted Alcaraz.
“I really feel the difference compared to the past. Because sometimes I have negative thoughts, but she helps me manage them. He gave me advice on how to deal with the stress of the game, and the situation has improved a lot. Like I said, it’s all in the head. But it’s not just a mental issue: it also depends on the game, on how you face it, on everything.
“I try not to think about it too much, because there was a period when I was really influenced by criticism, and that was a very difficult time. So now I try not to give too much weight to certain words that are said. In recent years, then, I have understood that every small step counts and that you can learn even from defeats.
“It is not necessary to be phenomenal every day, the important thing is to be constant and strive to improve. Always.”