Why am I playing against complete strangers in the Champions race and not against my friends

I thought NK Candy Crush simply won't allow us good players to win the #1 position more than once! So it pairs us up with random humans who are likely from the other side of the world. It paired me with someone who has writing on her profile picture... but I don't even recognize what language it might be! Only paired me with one stranger tho. So I'm in second place and my family member is in third.

The better we do the more candy crush punishes us! Pisses me off! The best it was to me was after a bad accident a couple years ago - when I had to take a break due to my coma! For that I was rewarded. But for healing well, I get punished!! Lol. But I'm thousands of levels ahead of my friends... Weirdly enough, that's satisfying enough for me 👍