Though, really, even Alcaraz’s chief rivals know not only that it’s a better show when they’re all playing, but that their titles mean more too if he’s there to make reaching the final—or winning it all—more difficult.

“I think what’s most important is to say that, first of all, tennis needs Carlos,” Sinner said at a news conference in May when asked if he felt his own chances to win the French Open had improved with two-time defending champ Alcaraz out of the draw. “Tennis is a much better sport when he’s around.”

Having called their off-court relationship “amazing” after beating Alcaraz at Wimbledon last year, the Italian player continued, “For me, personally, it’s nice when he’s around. It makes me look also in the draw and seeing the matches in a different way, even though if I would face Carlos it would always be in the final. With the No. 1 and No. 2 seed, that’s the case.”