Jannik Sinner’s return to tennis ended in defeat as he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in an exhibition match in South Korea.
Sinner and Alcaraz’s rivalry dominated the ATP Tour in 2025 and the two men started 2026 exactly the same way they finished last season.
Alcaraz defeated Sinner 7-5 7-6 to begin his season and started his Australian Open preparations in the best way possible.
After the match, Sinner shared his immediate reaction to starting his 2026 with a loss against his great rival.
Jannik Sinner praises ‘entertaining match’ after Carlos Alcaraz defeat
Sinner and Alcaraz played out an entertaining match in front of a packed-out stadium, but it was not up to the standards of their ATP Tour matches.
The best two players in the world swapped out with younger players for certain points, and it was not the most serious of occasions.
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Speaking after the match, the Italian said: “It was an entertaining match, that’s why we came here. Obviously, the main goal is in Australia.
“Exhibition matches are different. You are a bit more relaxed and also entertaining the crowd a little bit more with different shots and different actions on court.”
Sinner and Alcaraz will begin their competitive season at the Australian Open, where Alcaraz is looking to become a Grand Slam champion and Sinner is looking to win the tournament for a third time.
What Carlos Alcaraz said after defeating Jannik Sinner
Alcaraz and Sinner were treated like superstars in South Korea as they played their first-ever tennis match in the country.
The mass amount of support did not go unnoticed by the world number one, who praised the support after the match.
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He said: “We all need the support from the fans, so feeling the love from the people was necessary for me to perform my best and play great tennis like I did today.”
Alcaraz and Sinner have played several exhibition matches together in recent years, including two at the Six Kings Slam in Saudi Arabia.
