Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will play an exhibition match in South Korea in January, organizers said on Monday, as the top two men’s players in the world ramp up their preparations for the Australian Open.
The pair, who have won nine of the last 10 major titles, will play in the Hyundai Card Super Match at Incheon’s Inspire Arena on January 10, eight days before the year’s first Grand Slam begins at Melbourne Park.
The exhibition has previously featured some of the biggest names in men’s tennis including Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Pete Sampras, as well as women’s greats Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams.
Organizers have yet to release information on the prize money on offer for the one-off match.
Sinner and Alcaraz met in three of the four Grand Slam finals this season and faced each other in the title decider at last month’s Six Kings Slam exhibition tournament in Riyadh.
Sinner prevailed in that contest to secure a reported $6 million in prize money.
The Italian also lifted his first Paris Masters title on Sunday to reclaim the world number one ranking from Spaniard Alcaraz, who lost early in the tournament.
Alcaraz had taken top spot after beating Sinner in the US Open final in September to improve his career head-to-head record against his rival to 10-5 in official matches.
The pair also met in an epic French Open final in June when Alcaraz prevailed in five sets, before Sinner gained revenge in the Wimbledon title clash a month later.
Sinner, Alcaraz set for South Korea exhibition ahead of Australian Open
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Sinner, Alcaraz set for South Korea exhibition ahead of Australian Open
- Sinner, Alcaraz set for South Korea exhibition ahead of Australian Open
Barcelona pounces on Real Madrid stumble and regains lead of La Liga with a 3-0 win over Levante
- Barcelona moved one point ahead of Madrid, which had won eight in a row in the league before losing to Osasuna
MADRID: Barcelona took advantage of Real Madrid’s stumble and regained the Spanish league lead with a comfortable 3-0 win over relegation-threatened Levante on Sunday.
Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and Fermín López scored a goal each as Barcelona ended a two-game losing streak to get back in front of rival Madrid, which lost 2-1 at Osasuna on Saturday.
Barcelona moved one point ahead of Madrid, which had won eight in a row in the league before losing to Osasuna.
Barcelona was coming off a 2-1 loss to Girona in the league and a 4-0 loss to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals.
“It was important to win and earn three points again,” Barcelona defender João Cancelo said. “Soccer gives you these opportunities to rebound and that’s what we did today, playing well again after two bad games.”
Barcelona had earned a clean sheet only once in its previous six games in all competitions.
Good start for Barcelona
Bernal scored from close range four minutes into the match at the Camp Nou Stadium. The 18-year-old Bernal had scored his first goal with the first team two rounds ago in a win over Mallorca.
“They had an early chance but my goal helped us settle and gain some confidence,” Bernal said.
De Jong added to the lead from inside the area in the 32nd and López sealed the victory with a beautiful long-range shot in the 81st, with the ball ricocheting off the post before going into the net.
Levante’s Australian goalkeeper Mathew Ryan kept Barcelona from adding the fourth with a pair of outstanding saves in a row in the final minutes, first off a header by Raphinha and then off a point-blank strike from López on the rebound.
It was the fourth straight defeat for Levante, which sits in 19th place. It is one point ahead of last-place Oviedo, which has a game in hand.
Levante has only one victory in its last eight matches.
Pedri entered the match in the 66th to make his return to action after an injury layoff.
Other results
Sevilla won 1-0 at 10-man Getafe for its second win in its last 10 matches in all competitions.
Djibril Sow scored a 64th-minute winner for the visitors. Getafe played a man down from the 26th after a straight red card for Djene Dakonam.
The result left Sevilla in 11th place, immediately above Getafe.
Third-place Villarreal, Barcelona’s next league opponent, can restore a three-point gap to fourth-place Atletico Madrid if it beats Valencia at home later Sunday. Atletico beat Espanyol 4-2 at home on Saturday.
