Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, two of the world’s top tennis players, share a rivalry full of nail-biting on-court battles, vying for the world No. 1 spot. Yet off the court, the two are friends, often catching up whenever their paths cross. Ahead of the Miami Open 2026, the pair were spotted on the practice courts, where Alcaraz congratuled Sinner on his historic Indian Wells title, and fans quickly took notice of their interaction.
On the practise court Alcaraz walked up to Sinner, gave him a hug, and greeted him with a smile: “Hey champ, congrats.”
Carlos’tan Jannik’e IW tebriği.
Yılın ilk Sincaraz finalini şimdiden iple çekiyoruz. 🇮🇹🇪🇸#MiamiOpenpic.twitter.com/vuJSiRMYcq
— Sinner Türkiye 🇮🇹 (@SinnerTurkiye) March 17, 2026
The Italian had just won his first Indian Wells Open title on March 15, beating Daniil Medvedev 7-6(6), 7-6(4) in a tight final. He didn’t drop a single set all tournament and made history, joining Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as the only players to complete the hard-court Masters 1000 set.
Meanwhile, Alcaraz had a setback at Indian Wells. The World No. 1 was chasing a third straight title but lost to Medvedev in the semifinals. It was his first defeat of the 2026 season, ending a 16-match winning streak that included titles at the Australian Open and the Qatar Open.
Back in Miami, though, it was all relaxed vibes. Sinner asked, “Everything good?” and the two chatted casually. They even joked about Alcaraz’s recent golf outing. Alcaraz laughed, saying it started well but ended up being “the worst day ever” after playing too many holes. The two shared a laugh before going their separate ways, Sinner back to practice, Alcaraz heading off with his gear.
Now, both turn their focus to the Miami Open. Alcaraz, the top seed, his maiden Masters 1000 title in Miami in 2022. He will start in the Round of 64 against either João Fonseca or Fabian Marozsan.
Meanwhile, the second seeded Sinner will face either Damir Džumhur or a qualifier in his opening match. The Italian is chasing the rare the sunshine double in Miami Gardens after winning Indian Wells without dropping a set. Sinner was the Miami champion in 2024 and has reached the final in three of his four appearances.
