Carpet Clash: Alcaraz Outsmarts Sinner in Incheon Exhibition

Match Recap

Carlos Alcaraz opened 2026 with a victory in an exhibition in Incheon, Korea, defeating Jannik Sinner 7-5, 7-6 after 1 hour and 48 minutes. The win gave the Spanish star a strong confidence boost ahead of the Australian Open, and it marked the first appearance of his new coach Samuel López as head of his team. Sinner had won the previous two official meetings, but this time Alcaraz showed greater adaptability to the court conditions.

Venue, Moments and Outlook

The friendly was staged at Inspire Arena in Incheon on a carpet surface—an unusual choice that has been banned in official tour events since 2009 due to its impact on movement. The surface contributed to limited rallies and just one break of serve, earned by Alcaraz late in the first set. In the second set, the scoreboard stayed tight until the tiebreak, where a light moment saw Sinner invite a young Korean to participate in a point and the boy even managed a rally against the world No. 1.

Sinner had a chance to seal the second set and push the match to a deciding set during the tiebreak, but Alcaraz delivered a big serve to close it out.

Notes from the event highlighted the carpet as a curious choice, with movement understandably affected and a handful of dramatic slips, including a notable fall by Sinner in the first set.

In a fun moment, a young spectator briefly joined the rally during the second set, drawing cheers from the crowd and reminding everyone that exhibitions can offer more smiles than sweat.

Overall, the match offered a light but meaningful tune-up for both players, with Alcaraz demonstrating resilience and good form as he prepares for Melbourne.

Punchline: If carpet courts are the future of tennis, Alcaraz just filed the patent—fast serves, sharp reflexes, and a rug that can’t quite keep up. And if Sinner complains about the surface, tell him the floor has standards too, and today it put on its best performance for Carlitos.