Ex-World No 1 identifies where Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz can improve

James Richardson 21 Jul 2024 7:08 PM

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at Wimbledon

Former World No 1 Stan Smith believes that both Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have areas they can improve on in their game.

The young players have ushered in a changing of the guard this season with their star turns in Grand Slams and on the ATP Tour.

Smith believes that Sinner will continue to get better as a player if he focuses his attention on his serve.

“In my opinion, both are very good players, however, Sinner needs to continue working on his serve, where he has already improved a lot. He also has a good opportunity to improve in the volleying area,” Smith told Gazzetta Dello Sport.

Smith believes that Alcaraz is prone to distraction and can make his matches much harder than they need to be because of this trait

“As for Carlos, he is sometimes subject to moments that I would call distraction,” he added.

Smith believes that Alcaraz and Sinner are remarkable players and worthy stars of the game.

He feels that the Spaniard brings a terrifically physical and entertaining game to the sport.

“Carlos stands out for his speed, physical strength and variety of shots,” Smith continued.

Smith believes Sinner is technically sound and has incredible potential considering what he has already achieved in the sport

“Sinner also has a solid skill set, having already won a Grand Slam and is ranked No 1 in the world.”

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The former rankings king believes that Sinner and Alcaraz will share a generational rivalry that might define the sport over the next decade or even longer.

“They represent both the present and the future of tennis and will establish a lasting rivalry,” he went on to add.

“I am interested in seeing how their game evolves over the years, knowing that they still have room to improve.”

Sinner is the current world No 1 after his incredible start to the 2023 season. He will will compete in both singles and doubles at the Paris Olympics with the Italian Federation confirming that Sinner would pair up with Lorenzo Musetti in a bid to bring the country a gold medal.

Alcaraz is the clear favourite for singles gold in Paris having notched his maiden Roland Garros title win earlier this year before winning his fourth Grand Slam at Wimbledon.

The draws for the five tennis events at the 2024 Olympics will be made on Thursday 25 July, the day before the Opening Ceremony in Paris.