Tennis fever is set to grip South Korea early next year when world No. 1 Jannik Sinner and his fierce rival Carlos Alcaraz square off in a high-profile exhibition match on Jan. 10 in Incheon, just days before the Australian Open.
The "Hyundai Card Super Match" will mark the first-ever meeting between the two top-ranked players on Korean soil, offering local fans a rare glimpse of the sport’s modern rivalry that has defined the post-Big Three era.
The clash, staged at Incheon’s 15,000-seat Inspire Arena, will headline the country’s growing tennis scene, which has surged in popularity following Korea’s 2024 Olympic medal success.
“For domestic tennis fans, it will be the very first opportunity to see the two top-ranked players compete,” Hyundai said in a statement Monday.
The announcement comes on the heels of Sinner’s crowning triumph at the 2025 Rolex Paris Masters, where he defeated Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 7-6 (4) to lift his maiden title at the event and reclaim the world No. 1 spot from Alcaraz.
The Italian’s victory capped off a resurgent season in which he also captured the Australian Open and Wimbledon, adding five trophies to his collection and restoring his dominance after a turbulent 2024 season.
Now holding 11,500 ATP points to Alcaraz’s 11,250, Sinner’s lead remains slim ahead of the ATP Finals in Turin, where he defends 1,500 points.
The year-end No. 1 battle remains open – a storyline that will likely stretch into January’s Melbourne showdown.
Their upcoming exhibition in Seoul will serve as a curtain-raiser for the 2026 Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18, and another chapter in a rivalry that has captivated the tennis world.
The Spaniard still leads their head-to-head 10-5, though Sinner has claimed three of their last five meetings, including back-to-back wins in Indian Wells and Miami earlier this year.
Alcaraz, a four-time Grand Slam champion, enters the event after voicing frustration with the ATP’s congested calendar, even skipping the Basel Open to rest before his semifinal loss in Paris.
The Incheon clash offers him a chance to rediscover rhythm – and to reignite a rivalry that has pushed both men to the limits of their talent and endurance.
For Sinner, who endured a brief suspension last year before storming back to the sport’s summit, the Seoul match adds symbolic weight.
