Coco Gauff gives intriguing verdict of Alcaraz-Sinner dominance in men’s tennis

Coco Gauff has said men’s tennis would be ‘more exciting’ if a third player broke into the Carlos Alcaraz/Jannik Sinner dominance.

While in the women’s, the last four Grand Slams have been won by four different players, in the men’s it is not such a balanced story with either Sinner or Alcaraz having won every title since Novak Djokovic’s US Open victory in 2023.

And while it has led to one of the early signs of one of the all-time great tennis rivalries, it does sometimes feel like the preceding rounds are just processional before a Sinner-Alcaraz final takes place.

On the subject, Gauff, who won the French Open this season, said it would be more exciting if a third name was able to break through.

“It’s honestly great to have four different champions, because I feel like all the girls have had a competitive year,” she said in Riyadh ahead of the WTA Finals.

“And I think that it makes the sport more exciting when there’s multiple chances for something to happen.

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“Although Carlos and Jannik are doing great, there’s talk about there needing to be a third person and I feel like to make it more interesting, it’s better to have different champions than the same two.

“I don’t want to downplay anything, the rivalry they have is great and exciting for the sport too. But long term, I think it’s more exciting for me as a fan, watching the semis and the quarters not knowing who is going to win, whereas knowing who’s going to win… but that just shows how great they are.”

Gauff is aiming to retain her WTA Finals crown and starts her campaign with a group stage match against fellow American Jessica Pegula on Sunday.

The pair have faced each other seven times in the past with Pegula winning four of them, and Gauff said it was always tricky facing her countrywoman.

“It’s always tricky playing her, but especially since we played so recently I think that she’s going to know what to expect, and vice versa.

“The things that I necessarily probably did really well in that match that got me that win may not work in this match because she probably could recognise those things as well, capitalise off of it.

“Yeah, I think it’s one of those matches that you have your game plan, but you have to be able to adjust because she might know my game plan already.”

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