Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner reunite in Seoul to kick off 2026 season
The sport’s biggest rivalry kicked off the season with a sold-out exhibition match.
© AFP or licensors
World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz and No. 2 Jannik Sinner are starting the 2026 season the same way they finished the last one—sharing a court and delighting fans with their heated rivalry.
Fifty-five days after Sinner defeated Alcaraz in the final of the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin, the pair reunited on court in Seoul, South Korea, for the 14th Hyundai Card Super Match.
Read More: What to expect from Carlos and Jannik in 2026 as year three of the Sincaraz Era begins
The exhibition marked the first outing of the year for both players and saw Alcaraz come away with a 7-5, 7-6 (6) win in a fun, relaxed environment. The coin toss was handled by Sehun of South Korean boy group EXO, and fans were tagged in at various points throughout the match.
The showdown took place at INSPIRE Arena in Incheon, with all 15,000 tickets reportedly selling out within hours when they went on sale last year—another sign of how marketable and global the ATP’s star duo are becoming.
The South Korea stop may not count for much in terms of Australian Open preparation, but it was still worth the trip financially. Both Alcaraz and Sinner reportedly earned $2.3 million each for their participation—a figure that exceeds what the Australian Open runner-up will earn.
Earlier this week, AO organizers recently announced a record $75 million prize money pool—the largest in the event’s history—with $1.4 million awarded to the runner-up and $2.7 million to the champion.
After their exhibition hit in Seoul on Saturday, both Sinner and Alcaraz were listed on Sunday’s practice schedule in Melbourne, signaling they aren’t wasting any time getting ready for the first major of the season.
The Australian Open begins on Sunday, January 18, and runs through Sunday, February 1. Sinner enters as the two-time defending champion, while Alcaraz is looking to advance beyond the quarterfinals for the first time.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz arrive in Seoul, South Korea for the Hyundai Card Super Match.
© 2026 Han Myung-Gu
Jannik Sinner of Italy and Carlos Alcaraz of Spain play table tennis during the welcome event after press conference at the Hyundai Card Headquarter in Seoul, South Korea.
— Getty Images Sport (@GettySport) January 9, 2026
More #GettyVideo @carlosalcaraz 🎥 Chung Sung Jun 👉 https://t.co/HFmZMHnXIN pic.twitter.com/NHntNAfSSW
sehun did the opening coin toss for the match between jannik sinner and carlos alcaraz today .ᐟ 🎾🖤#OurCoinTosserSEHUN#세훈x현대카드슈퍼매치pic.twitter.com/cKSh7iAJzg
— 🌸 사랑둥이 귀염둥이 세훈이 🌸 (@milkteus) January 10, 2026
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz trying to hit the most extreme angles possible during their exhibition in Seoul
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) January 10, 2026
They’re not real 😭😭😭
(h/t @carlosalcarazbr)
pic.twitter.com/rnYkt9Nt9n
Alcaraz came away with a 7-5, 7-6 (6) win over Sinner in a fun, relaxed environment.
© AFP or licensors
