‘Unlike Alcaraz...’ Italian tennis chief receives huge backlash from fans after personal shot at Carlos Alcaraz’s private purchase while praising Jannik Sinner

The president of the Italian Tennis Federation has sparked controversy after using Carlos Alcaraz's private life as a point of comparison while praising world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, prompting criticism from fans who accused him of unnecessarily targeting the Spaniard.Angelo Binaghi, who has led the Italian Tennis Federation since 2001, made the remarks during an interview with Corriere della Sera while discussing the rise of Italian tennis and the example he believes Sinner has set for younger players.His comments came shortly after Roland Garros, where Sinner's determination during a physically demanding second-round defeat against Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo became a talking point in Italy. Despite battling cramps in the Paris heat, Sinner chose to continue competing rather than retire from the match.For Binaghi, that attitude represented something bigger than a single result.Explaining what he sees as the driving force behind Italian tennis' recent success, Binaghi pointed to Sinner's willingness to fight through adversity and contrasted it with what he described as attitudes from previous generations."It all starts with example. Sinner choosing to stay on the court, to try until the very end, without complaining about his condition. But when have we ever seen anything like that before?" Binaghi said."We admired foreign champions who did it, instead. As a former player, I belong to a generation of tennis players who sent the message that you had to be bold and bold, a little lazy, because you were successful anyway." Binaghi then elevated Sinner as the standard-bearer for the sport in Italy."Now we have a champion, fallen from the sky, who is leading the movement with the example of hard work."However, it was his next remark that generated the strongest reaction."Can I say it? Unlike Alcaraz, Jannik will never buy himself a six-million-euro yacht. I'm sure of it, and I don't think I'll be proven wrong."The comment referenced reports earlier this year that Alcaraz had commissioned a custom Sunreef Ultima 88 luxury yacht, a project linked to his ambassadorial partnership with Polish yacht builder Sunreef.Multiple reports estimated the vessel's value in the region of €6 million to €10 million.Binaghi appeared to use the purchase as a symbol of differing approaches between the two leading stars of the next generation, portraying Sinner as an athlete driven primarily by work ethic and restraint.The comparison was particularly notable because Alcaraz has been sidelined for more than a month with a wrist injury that forced him to miss both Roland Garros and Wimbledon, leaving him unable to respond on the court.The remarks quickly spread across social media, where many fans argued that a national federation president should not be commenting on a player's personal spending habits.One user wrote:"It's disgraceful that Binaghi, as president of the Italian Tennis Federation, feels entitled to comment on Alcaraz's private life. I can't imagine other presidents saying this, yet the ATP president continues to be friends and give platform to Binaghi who repeatedly acts his way."Another added:"Omfg the audacity ?????? how is this not a punishable offense, commenting on a player's personal life should be strictly off limits for the head of a country's tennis federation."Others questioned the consistency of Binaghi's criticism."Genuinely disgusting. all this righteousness from binaghi is ridiculous when his golden boy doesn't even live in italy, and prefers to live in the tax haven that is monaco."One particularly frustrated fan wrote:"This is triggering me so bad i need these f****g italians to never speak about carlos ever again."Another questioned the relevance of the yacht purchase altogether."They can't speak on Carlos' tennis, so they speak about his ... check notes yacht? what the f*** does it have to do with ANYTHING?"Others interpreted the remarks as evidence of personal resentment."The jealousy in this man's heart omg. Pretty laughable that he thinks anyone cares about his opinion. Carlitos keep on doing you."One user even suggested there could be a wider pattern developing around criticism of the Spaniard."I'm not one for conspiracies, but between this and the latest Ferrero interview to an Italian publication, which by his own admission had the ATP's involvement, I'm starting to suspect bigger forces at play against Carlos."The latest controversy is not the first time Binaghi has used Alcaraz as a reference point while praising Sinner.Following Sinner's successful Australian Open title defence last year, the federation president argued that the Italian's long-term ceiling was higher than that of his Spanish rival."It's very clear now, we are the strongest nation in the world. We are number 1," Binaghi told La Gazzetta dello Sport."I always thought that Sinner was in perspective much stronger than Carlos Alcaraz and that his real rival would be Zverev, very fearsome on fast surfaces."That comment also drew criticism from fans, many of whom argued that Binaghi regularly praises Sinner by diminishing Alcaraz rather than celebrating the Italian on his own merits.What makes the episode notable is that it arrives at a time when Sinner and Alcaraz are increasingly viewed as the defining rivalry of the post-Big Three era.Both players are in their early twenties, both have already won multiple Grand Slam titles, and both are expected to dominate men's tennis for years to come.Yet Binaghi's comments shifted the focus away from tennis and onto lifestyle choices, wealth and personal image.The irony, some fans pointed out, is that luxury purchases are hardly unusual among elite athletes. Tennis icons including Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal have all owned high-end properties, vehicles or yachts during their careers.Sinner himself owns an enviable collection of luxury vehicles, reportedly including a Ferrari 812 Competizione, Ferrari Purosangue, Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS and Audi RS6 Avant ABT Legacy Edition.