Carlos Alcaraz has disclosed that he was one of the players who did not reach out to Jannik Sinner during his three-month doping suspension. Alcaraz made the remarks in response to the World No. 1’s emotional admission about how his fellow ATP players treated him during that time.
Upon his return to the tour at the Italian Open, Sinner revealed that he had spoken to very few players during his suspension. While he was pleasantly surprised to receive messages from certain players, the Italian said that he was snubbed by those he had expected communication from.
“I haven’t spoken to almost anyone. I’ve spoken to Draper, we’re great friends and he came to train with me, then with Sonego. At the beginning of the suspension I received some surprising messages from certain players, while from others from whom I perhaps expected something, nothing arrived,” he said in his pre-tournament press conference.
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Although Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have often spoken about their friendship on tour, the Spaniard admitted that he hadn't spoken to Sinner during those three months. Alcaraz made the revelation in his post-match press conference after claiming a 7-6(5), 6-1 victory over the Italian in the blockbuster final at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Rome.
"Well, I mean, that three months I can't feel him because I wasn't in that position. I mean, I can understand him that he was surprise about some players who call him. I didn't call him. I didn't talk to him in that three months," Carlos Alcaraz said.
Alcaraz acknowledged that the World No. 1 was well within his rights to express disappointment about those who didn't contact him. However, the four-time Grand Slam champion admitted to being unsure of whether he was the intended target of Sinner's remarks.
"But it wasn't about if I was agreed or not. I mean, I was playing. I was in my feelings, as well. Honestly, I can understand him that he was surprised about some other players who didn't call him. It is in his rights to say it. I have to say that I don't know if he said that because of me or not," he added.
It is unclear whether Jannik Sinner had included Carlos Alcaraz among the players who broke his expectations since the World No. 1 made it clear that he wouldn't name any names.
Carlos Alcaraz: "I don't know if Jannik Sinner was thinking about me, he wasn't thinking about me"
During the same press conference, Carlos Alcaraz said that he didn't know which players in particular Jannik Sinner had been thinking of and reiterated that he was unsure of whether the Italian was referring to him.
The Spaniard also disclosed that while he didn't contact Sinner during his doping suspension, he had been wishing him well from afar and hoping for his speedy return to the tour.
"I don't know if he was thinking about me, he wasn't thinking about me. I don't know that. What I can say is I (indiscernible) him when he got injured sometimes just giving him my good energy just to have him back as soon as possible. It is about we're playing, fighting each other," Carlos Alcaraz said.
"In that three months, I can understand him, what he said. Honestly, I don't know if he was thinking about some players or others," he added.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will now turn their attention to the French Open, which begins on May 25. Since the Spaniard has reclaimed the World No. 2 ranking from Alexander Zverev after his triumph at the Italian Open, he will only be able to set up a rematch with Sinner in the final of the claycourt Major.
