Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will face each other in South Korea this January in an exhibition match ahead of the Australian Open. The event, titled the Hyundai Card Super Match, will take place on 10 January in Incheon, near Seoul.
The meeting comes just days after Sinner overtook Alcaraz as world number one, following his victory at the Paris Masters on Sunday. The Italian now heads into the new season as the leading figure on the ATP Tour, while Alcaraz follows closely behind.
Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will play an exhibition in Seoul on January 10th.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 22, 2025
Should be a fun one. ❤️
🇮🇹🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/yi94iF5q01
Organisers confirmed that this will be the first time tennis fans in South Korea will have the opportunity to watch the two top ranked players compete on the same court. A press release from Hyundai described the event as a landmark moment for tennis interest in the country.
Despite Sinner’s current status at the top of the rankings, it is Alcaraz who holds the advantage in their head to head record, leading 10 to 5 across all competitions. Their rivalry has been widely regarded as the most compelling in the current era of men’s tennis, with both players seen as the successors to the generation of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Sinner will begin the defence of his Australian Open title when the first Grand Slam of 2026 gets underway on 18 January in Melbourne. Alcaraz, who has criticised the demanding match schedule on the ATP Tour, will aim to recapture momentum ahead of the tournament, having experienced an inconsistent run of form in recent months.
The exhibition in South Korea is expected to draw significant attention, both locally and internationally, as anticipation builds for the opening major of the season.
