Former tennis player Mats Wilander has highlighted the rising rivalry between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, expressing his preference for the Spaniard. Speaking to L’Equipe, Wilander emphasized Alcaraz’s potential to shape the future of tennis, especially with the departure of the Big 3.
“Carlos Alcaraz is a godsend for our sport,” Wilander remarked. “He can make tennis even more popular. He is only 21 years old and has proven that he does not need to play the best tennis to win, which is the sign of the greatest.”
While acknowledging Sinner’s rise to the number one spot, Wilander minimized its significance, stating, “Being number 1 is just a matter of computers. It’s just data. People will always prefer live tennis over a machine.”
Wilander further praised Alcaraz’s style of play, noting, “He doesn’t systematically make the best choice but the arsenal is there, at his disposal. The icing on the cake? He smiles on the field! He is a perfect ambassador.”
Highlighting Alcaraz’s mental strength and strategic prowess, Wilander expressed confidence in his ability to secure more Grand Slam titles. “His chances of winning more Slams are very high and not because of his strokes but because of his brains and courage,” Wilander remarked. “He is incredible. He controls the exchanges and it seems that the match always depends on him.”
Wilander’s insights shed light on the promising trajectory of Carlos Alcaraz in the world of tennis and underscore the potential impact of his rivalry with Jannik Sinner on the sport’s landscape.
Carlos Alcaraz in 2024
At the moment ranked no.
2, the Spaniard played his last match on the 9th of June when he beat world no.4 Alexander Zverev 6-3 2-6 5-7 6-1 6-2 in the final of the French Open to win his 15th career title.This season Alcaraz has managed to achieve an overall 25-5 record. The Spaniard conquered 2 titles in 2024 in Indian Wells and French Open.
Jannik Sinner in 2024
Ranked no.1, Sinner played his last match on the 7th of June when he lost to world no.2 Carlos Alcaraz 2-6 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3 in the semifinal of the French Open (draw).
Currently, during this season Jannik has an overall 33-3 match record. Jannik clinched 3 titles in 2024 at the Australian Open, Rotterdam and Miami.
Sinner has scheduled to compete next in Halle (Terra Wortmann Open). He will start from the main draw that will commence on the 17th of June.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner squared off 10 times. Their current record is 6-4 for Alcaraz. Previously, the last time they played each other, Carlos Alcaraz won 2-6 6-3 3-6 6-4 6-3 in the semifinal in Paris (French Open) on the 7th of June 2024.
In the video below you can watch the highlights.
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner |
| Embed from Getty Images |