Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s levels compared to ‘Big 4’ legends by leading coach

Kevin Palmer 08 Mar 2026 5:00 PM

Pictured: Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer inset

The debate over whether Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have taken tennis to a new level over the last couple of years will always divide debate among fans who lived through the golden era dominated by Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

Alcaraz and Sinner have started their own era of dominance and have won all of the last nine Grand Slam titles that have been contested, with Alcaraz continuing that run as he lifted his first Australian Open title to start 2026 with a bang.

That win in Melbourne gave Alcaraz his seventh Grand Slam title and while he is making huge progress up the list of all-time greats, he has a long way to go to match the ‘Big 3’ of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, who all won in excess of 20 major tournaments in their remarkable careers.

Coaching guru Jamie Delgado has had a unique position to watch the evolution of the new era in the men’s game over the last decade, as he was coaching Andy Murray during his rise to world No 1. in 2016 and then worked with Grigor Dimitrov as he battled against Alcaraz and Sinner in recent years.

Delgado was coaching Dimitrov as he came close to beating Sinner at Wimbledon last summer and when he was asked about the qualities of the six players have won so much in this century, he suggests the notion that tennis has gone to the next level with the new ‘Big 2’ may not be accurate.

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“Jannik and Carlos are incredible players and I think they could mix it with the Big Four guys for sure,” said Delgado, in an exclusive extract of the latest Off Court with Greg Rusedski podcast being published on Tennis365.

“I do think that in yesteryear, like 10 years ago or so, I think we had more challenges to those top guys. I think the level was a bit higher. You had likes of (Juan Martin) Del Potro, Stan Wawrinka, Thomas Berdych.

“I think these guys were more of a threat to the those top four than some of the guys now. A few years ago, I feel the top 10, 15 were stronger before better players.

“But I think the general level on the tour now has improved. A guy ranked 30 in the world, 40 in the world, 50 in the world, I think is better now. Every match is super tough from the first round.

“Where I don’t know if, know, 10, 15 years ago, I think sometimes the first round for the top guys was a bit more of a stroll in the park, I feel. So I think in the earlier rounds, you’ve got to be on it now. There’s no question about it. But I come quarters and semis, I think there was more danger and a bit more quality before.”

Former British No 1 Rusedski echoed Delgado’s sentiments, as he urged the young guns in men’s tennis to step up and challenge Alcaraz and Sinner.

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“We’ve got to look at the age group of these youngsters coming up to challenge,” said Rusedski.

“You’ve got Ben Shelton who’s very young. You’ve got Jack (Draper) who was in the mix before he had that six, seven months off.

“I think they’re all a little bit younger than that depth of generation that was around with Murray, Nadal, Djokovic and Federer. And let’s not forget Novak still in town at 38, 39 years of age.

“The big four, along with Sinner and Alcaraz, if you put those six guys together and on any given day at their peak, they would beat each other. That’s how good those qualities of six guys are. They’re absolute legends. We’re really lucky to have those guys in our sport.”