The Spanish tennis star defeated Sinner in a dramatic three-set final at the China Open on Wednesday (02.10.24) and explained that the pair have a mutual appreciation of each other's skills on the court.

Alcaraz said: "Once we are on tour, travelling, at tournaments, on site, we are with our teams and on our own, so we [Alcaraz and Sinner] don't speak too much.

"But when we can, we talk a little bit besides tennis, about life. But not too much.

"It means we have a good relationship but we are not close friends.

"I think the respect we have puts us in a position that we have a really good relationship."

Alcaraz triumphed after three hours and 21 minutes against Sinner in Beijing to extend his winning streak against the Italian but was left very impressed by the ability of his opponent.

The four-time Grand Slam champion said of the China Open showpiece: "He could (have won) in two, I could win in two, he could win in three. It was a really close match.

"Jannik, once again, he showed that he's the best player in the world, at least for me. The level that he's playing, it's unbelievable. It's a really high quality of tennis. Of shots, physically, mentally, he's a beast."

Alcaraz bemoaned that he has little time to celebrate his China Open success as he is immediately back in action at the Shanghai Masters.

He said: "The tennis schedule is so, so tight, we're travelling from tournament to tournament with just one or two days before the tournament begins, so it is difficult, but we have to get used to it."