Aryna Sabalenka makes her pick between Jannik Sinner & Carlos Alcaraz

Aryna Sabalenka is expected to return to action at the Toronto Open, which will begin on August 1.

Aryna Sabalenka has weighed in on one of tennis’ most talked-about rivalries, revealing that she leans toward Jannik Sinner over Carlos Alcaraz when it comes to playing style, while also disclosing which of the two she was cheering for during Wimbledon last year.

Speaking on the YouTube channel First&Red, the World No. 1 initially reacted with laughter when posed the question, reportedly exclaiming, “Damn it! Why that question?” before settling on her answer.

She explained that she identifies more closely with the Italian’s game, noting, “I prefer Jannik more because we have a similar style of play. I think we both have a good forehand, a pretty good backhand, and a good serve. We both play a fairly aggressive style of tennis, I would say.”

Sabalenka also revisited last year’s grass-court season, explaining her rooting interest at the All England Club. “When Alcaraz beat Jannik at Roland Garros 2025 after three match points, it was incredible. But at Wimbledon 2025, I was rooting for Jannik because I was really hurting for him at Roland Garros,” she said, due to Sinner’s heartbreaking French Open final loss after squandering three championship points.

Despite favouring Sinner stylistically, the Belarusian shared words of appreciation for Alcaraz’s game style. “But I really like the way Alcaraz moves, the way he sees the court, the way he plays every ball. It’s clear that Carlos truly enjoys the game. There’s not a single ball he won’t try to reach,” she said.

She further praised his willingness to evolve as a player, adding, “Of course, the fact that he’s open to new things. Even though he was at the top of the rankings, he still changed his serve and adjusted some things.”

Ultimately, the Belarusian refused to give absolute preference to one player over the other. “It’s great because he’s young and rose to the top quite quickly. It’s nice to watch Carlos improve.

I think it’s impossible to pick just one person in this matchup,” she concluded, underscoring the difficulty of separating two players who have dominated men’s tennis in recent seasons, sharing 12 consecutive Grand Slam titles until Alexander Zverev ended the trend at the 2026 Roland Garros.

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