Carlos Alcaraz & Jannik Sinner set for ‘Super Match’ showdown in Seoul ahead of Australian Open 2026

Carlos Alcaraz enjoys a 10-5 lead in head-to-head against Jannik Sinner on the ATP Tour.

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will cross paths at an exhibition match in Seoul, South Korea, in the run-up to the 2026 Australian Open.

The current World No. 1 Alcaraz and the Italian star Sinner who will defend his title in Melbourne, will play the match at the Incheon Inspire Arena. The Chosun Daily, a South Korean publication, suggests that the event will be held on January 10, 2026.

Their firmly entrenched rivalry has treated fans to more than a few engrossing encounters. The Alcaraz-Sinner duo equally split the Grand Slams between them in 2025 and will get their rivalry off the ground when they clash in Seoul at the event dubbed the ‘Super Match.’

Sinner claimed the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles this year, while Alcaraz was victorious at the French Open and US Open.

The Italian World No. 2 is currently playing in Vienna, where he is the odds-on favourite to reclaim the title he won in 2023. Alcaraz, the current World No. 1, will be representing Spain in the Davis Cup Finals in November.  

Three-time champions, Italy, will have to defend their title without the services of their spearhead, Jannik Sinner. The 24-year-old Sinner clarified that he will use the extra time gained from skipping the Davis Cup to train for the 2026 Australian Open.

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Sinner led the Italian squad to victory in the Davis Cup in 2023 and 2024. The Italians stormed to take home the 2023 Davis Cup trophy, a first since 1976.  

Sinner’s decision not to join the Italian Davis Cup squad in Bologna was met with criticism by the Italian media former Italian player Nicola Pietrangeli.

Alcaraz had to stay away from the ongoing ATP 500 events in Vienna and Basel after an ankle injury he picked up during his title run in Tokyo.

The Spaniard was also sidelined from the Shanghai Masters. He will next be seen in action at the Paris Masters later this month.  

The 22-year-old Alcaraz is likely to finish the year as World No. 1. He has no points to defend in Vienna and Basel and is defending just 100 points at the Paris ATP 1000.

Sinner’s efforts to close the gap with Alcaraz suffered a setback when he retired in Shanghai and could not defend his title.

This leaves the Paris Masters (1000 points) and the year-end ATP Finals (1500 points) as crucial events that will play a role in crowning the year-end World No. 1.

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