Tennis fans were recently left stunned at Carlos Alcaraz being asked if Jannik Sinner's absence from the Japan Open brings him relief. Alcaraz and Sinner last locked horns at the 2025 US Open, where the Spaniard outpowered the four-time Grand Slam winner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4.Alcaraz and Sinner have faced each other five times in 2025 so far, with the World No.1 leading the head-to-head battle with four wins. As Alcaraz is set to compete at the Japan Open after his US Open and Laver Cup campaign, the Italian will be seen competing in his first tournament at the China Open since the heartbreak at Arthur Ashe Stadium.Ahead of the Japan Open, Alcaraz was asked whether Sinner's absence brings him peace, to which he replied."Well, it's not a relief, to be honest. I love playing against him. I think every time that we play against each other, it helps me to be better and to increase my level, which I love."Although the Spanish star provided an answer, fans were taken aback by the question, with one of them even calling it "dumb.""What kind of a dumb question is this LOL," the fan chimed in.A few other fans stated the statistics, showing Alcaraz leading in front of their rivalry. "He owns Sinner, why would it be a relief?"a fan questioned. "He’s won 7 out of their last 8 matches, why would he be scared to play the same tourney as Sinner?" another fan expressed. Here are a few more reactions:"Did they want him to say he’s relieved not playing against someone he’s beaten in the last 7 of 8 meetings?" one of the fans questioned. "Stupid ass question why would he ever admit that he’s nervous or unrelieved facing his number 1 opponent 😂😂 stupid questions," another fan expressed. "It’s a relief bro don’t lieIt’s a relief bro don’t lie😂," another fan wrote. Carlos Alcaraz opens up about his goals ahead of the Japan Open Carlos Alcaraz at the Japan Open at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo. (Photo by Getty Images)Ahead of the Japan Open, Carlos Alcaraz opened up about his aim for the tournament, stating he wants to see his name on the list of champions. Alcaraz will be competing in the Japan Open for the first time, while keeping his sights fixed on etching his name alongside previous champions, which include the Big Four - Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, and Novak Djokovic. "I’ve been playing great tennis, great matches," Alcaraz said. "I think that I've seen myself grow up a lot as a player on the court. I know the players who have played this tournament before, other players who have won this tournament before. At the end of the week, I just really want to put my name next to the past champions that I know." (via olympics.com)Carlos Alcaraz will face Sebastian Baez in the opening round of the Japan Open.