Sinner vs Alcaraz: The rivalry pushing tennis beyond the ‘Big 3'
One of the great joys of the Big Three era was that following the sport had a very personal touch to it – you were either in Roger Federer's corner or shouting Vamos with Rafael Nadal or taking on the world as part of Novak Djokovic's #NoleFam. There was no fence-sitting allowed. You lived every point with them and that made their triumphs feel like your own.
The Big Three's incredible 66-Grand Slam run is generally considered to have begun after Federer's 2003 Wimbledon win and gone on till Djokovic's shock US Open exit in 2024 – the two decades of domination meant the players and the fandom became part of the sport's fabric.
As the era draws to a close (Djokovic is still around, but fast fading), the fans were overwhelmed by a sense of loss and also a fear... would they ever be able to enjoy tennis in quite the same way again?
But after watching Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner go toe-to-toe in an epic five-hour 29-minute French Open final, many of those fears might have evaporated. Once again, you are being called upon to pick a side: are you ready to get on the emotional rollercoaster with Alcaraz or do you prefer the calm nonchalance of Sinner?
'I think every rivalry is different. Back in the days, they played a little bit different tennis. Now the ball is going fast. It's very physical. It's slightly different from my point of view, but you cannot compare. I was lucky enough to play against Novak, against Rafa. In Grand Slams, Roger, I never played, unfortunately. Beating these guys, it takes a lot,' Sinner said in the press conference after the final.
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He added: 'I have the same feeling with Carlos and some other players. It's good to see that we can produce also tennis like this, because I think it's good for the whole movement of tennis and the crowd. It was a good atmosphere today, and also to be part of it, it's very special. Of course, I'm happy to be part of this.'
And what does 'this' mean? They are world No.1 (Sinner) and world No.2 (Alcaraz). They have won seven of the last eight Grand Slams. They are good across surfaces. They are young and getting better with every outing. And because of how they play, they are drawing new fans to the sport.
The key, though, is the quality of their play. The consistency, the persistence, the shot quality – they are all world class. After watching the final on Sunday, American legend John McEnroe told TNT Sports, 'You took a look at them bringing their A-game right now – I'm saying Sinner and Alcaraz against Nadal on clay – you would make a serious argument with both guys that they would be favoured to beat Nadal, at his best.
'Do I think they're going to reach... 20, 24 titles, either one of them? No. Because I think that plateau is so hard it's almost impossible; there's more depth in the game, bigger hitters, and more things happen.
'But these two guys right now, it's like when you watch the NBA and you say nobody could be better than Michael Jordan. The tennis level right now is higher than I've ever seen.'
Pushing that level up is the fighting spirit that Alcaraz and Sinner display. They aren't given to exaggeration as many might argue McEnroe is, but they are the real deal.
'When the situations are against you, you have to fight and keep fighting. It is a Grand Slam final. It's no time to be tired. It's no time to give up. It's time to keep fighting, trying to find your moment, your good place again, and just go for it,' said Alcaraz, who saved three championship points in the fourth set, with a chuckle in his post-match press conference.
'I think the real champions are made in situations when you deal with that pressure, with those situations, in the best way possible. That's what the real champions have done in their whole careers. I'm just trying to feel comfortable in situations with pressure and not be afraid of it.'
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Sinner has just about swept everyone else on the ATP circuit but he needs to find a way past the 22-year-old Spaniard, who, having won their last five matches, leads the head-to-head 8-4 now. If this is to truly become their era, the Italian will need to find a way to step up even more. This rivalry could either make him or break him.
'Every match that I'm playing against him is important, honestly,' said the Spaniard, when asked about his rivalry with Sinner. 'This is the first match in a Grand Slam final. Hopefully, not the last time. As I said many times, every time that we face each other, we raise our level to the top.
'I think for the people and for the fans are important as well, our matches. If you want to win Grand Slams, you have to beat the best tennis players in the world. It feels much better when you face them in the final.'
For now, the battle lines are drawn and we wait to see what miracles the new era of Alcaraz and Sinner will throw up.
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