Tennis stars Alcaraz, Sinner delight fans in Korea

World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, 23, and world No. 2 Jannik Sinner of Italy, 25, widely regarded as the leading figures in men’s tennis, opened their 2026 season in South Korea. Their meeting at the Hyundai Card Super Match on Jan. 10 at Inspire Arena in Incheon gave fans an evening filled with humor and memorable moments.

Sinner, often teased for his near-flawless, machine-like style and likened to artificial intelligence, showed an unusually warm and human side before Korean fans he was meeting for the first time. During the second set, he handed his racket to a young fan in the stands, invited the child onto the court and took a seat among the spectators. When the child hit a winner against Alcaraz, Sinner pumped his fists and cheered.

Alcaraz also showed a playful sense of humor. After unleashing serves topping 200 kilometers per hour, he responded to a fan who shouted, “Are you single?” by pointing alternately at himself and Sinner, drawing laughter from the crowd.

Reflecting the exhibition nature of the match, the two players at times sustained rallies using only backhand or forehand slices. Cheers erupted whenever they produced crowd-pleasing shots, including tweeners struck between the legs. Fans shouted phrases such as “I love you,” “saranghae,” and “You’re handsome,” while both players repeatedly turned toward the stands and formed heart shapes with their hands in response.

Alcaraz won the match 2-0, taking the sets 7-5 and 7-6. Afterward, Sinner thanked fans for their overwhelming support and said that while it was his first visit to South Korea, he hoped it would not be his last. Alcaraz also expressed his appreciation, saying the energy and encouragement were remarkable and that he hoped to return, whether to compete again or to visit on vacation. Both players are scheduled to compete in the Australian Open, the first major tournament of the season, which begins on Jan. 18.


Bo-Mi Im bom@donga.com