For many tennis fans, rivalries are what keeps the sport going. A plethora of storylines can emerge simply from the best of the best pushing each other to be even better.
The men’s game saw Ivan Lendl, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors do battle with each other in the 1980s, while Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras dueled through the 90s. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal then established themselves as the dominant forces, with Novak Djokovic quickly joining the party.
Now, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are fast becoming household names and the next generation-defining rivalry.
When Federer officially retired in 2022, fears over fading stardom in men’s tennis began to intensify, with fans coming to terms with life after the “Big Three” for the first time.
However, Sinner and Alcaraz – ranked No. 1 and No. 3 in the world respectively – have quickly allayed any concerns.
The pair have split the grand slam titles in 2024 – Sinner winning his first two majors at the Australian and US Opens and Alcaraz taking victory at Roland Garros and Wimbledon. They also combined to win four out of the nine Masters 1000 tournaments this year.
Due to their rapid success, it is easy to forget that Sinner is only 23 and Alcaraz just 21. They are only likely to get better, so is it time to start referring to them as the “Big Two?”
For the rivals, sat side-by-side ahead of the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy – the first edition of the tournament since 2001 without Federer, Nadal or Djokovic present – it is still a bit too early to have that conversation.
“If people see the results (from) the last couple of years, probably they are going to think that we are going to be the next top two guys who are going to dominate the game,” Alcaraz told CNN Sport. “But actually, I don’t really think about it.
“Honestly, in the last 20 years, the Big Three were dominating tennis … But right now, I see a lot of players, the draws are really, really open, every player can win and leave with the big trophy.”
“I think it’s not comparable with what the Big Three have done,” Sinner added in the joint interview. “And they are the Big Four with Andy (Murray). There has been this period where these four were always in the semis and – talking from my side – I just made one season like this, they made it in 15, 20 years. So, I don’t think it’s comparable at all.”
Despite the humble assertations of both players, it isn’t difficult to envision the duo fully taking over the men’s game in years to come. Both are already history-makers, with Sinner becoming the first ever Italian tennis No. 1 earlier this year, while Alcaraz became the youngest player to reach the top rank after winning the US Open in 2022 at 19.
A rivalry forged in respect
When the pair have been on opposing sides of the net, they have been responsible for producing a handful of modern classics, notably their five-setters at Flushing Meadows in 2022 and the French Open earlier this year. Both matches were won by Alcaraz, who narrowly leads the ATP Tour head-to-head 6-4.
While the on-court action – characterized by breathtaking rallies and heavy hitting – is spectacular, the level of mutual respect between the players and their ever-growing friendship has captivated fans just as much.
After their most recent clash in the China Open final in Beijing, which Alcaraz won in another match that went the distance, the two stars shared a private plane to the next tournament in Shanghai.
Their first meeting came as teenagers in Alcaraz’s professional debut in 2019. Back then, they faced each other on the second tier ATP Challenger Tour at the JC Ferrero Challenger Open, held at the academy of Alcaraz’s coach and former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Sinner was on the losing side in that match but remembers the day fondly.
“I saw the draw coming out and I said, ‘Oh, Carlos Alcaraz, I have no idea who he is!’” said the Italian. “I saw the age and I said, ‘Wow, he’s playing a challenger, it’s amazing.’ And then straight away I was impressed.
“After the match, we went to the same locker room … and I was like, ‘When did you start to play tennis?’ And then we started to talk a little bit, because I wanted to get to know him because he was just an amazing talent already back in the day.”
‘It seems like he’s always winning’
Sinner recently described the rivalry as “fire and ice” due to the players’ contrasting on-court temperaments and personalities. Alcaraz is often fired-up during matches, passionately celebrating points and getting the crowd involved, drawing comparisons to his compatriot Nadal. Meanwhile, Sinner is known for his Federer-like cool, calm demeanor.
Alcaraz mentioned Sinner’s composure as one thing that he would like to adopt from his rival.
“He’s very solid,” said the Spaniard. “It doesn’t matter what is happening on the court, in the game, he’s going to act the same way and it’s not going to affect anything.
“If you don’t see the score … it seems like he’s always winning.”
“I wish it was that way!” Sinner laughed.
The world No. 1 said that he would love to take Alcaraz’s speed and touch, but also admires his mentality.
“It’s nice to see sometimes you get engaged with the crowd, and that’s exactly what the crowd wants to see when they come to see a match,” said Sinner.
The players are also united by their mutual love of soccer, with Alcaraz a fan of Spanish giant Real Madrid and Sinner supporting Italian powerhouse AC Milan.
Perhaps comparisons can be made between the duo and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Madrid’s Kylian Mbappé, both hugely talented players who likely have incredible careers ahead of them.
“He (Sinner) could be Haaland, you know, a killer,” said Alcaraz.
Time will tell if Sinner can put that ice-cold instinct to good use at the ATP Finals and win the tournament for the first time. He defeated Alex de Minaur in straight sets in the first match of the competition and will take on American Taylor Fritz on Tuesday.
Alcaraz, also seeking a maiden Finals title, suffered a 1-6 5-7 defeat against sixth seed Casper Ruud on Monday, but will be looking to make amends in his next match against Andrey Rublev.
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