Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz ‘don’t have weaknesses’ as ‘Big 4’ comparison made
Tennis legend Jim Courier believes Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz “don’t have weaknesses”, as he claimed the duo would have been able to rival the ‘Big 4.’
World No 1 Alcaraz and No 2 Sinner have dominated men’s tennis in recent years, with the two holding a commanding lead at the top of the ATP Rankings.
The pair have won the last nine Grand Slam men’s singles titles between them, and are just two major triumphs away from matching Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s record of 11 straight Grand Slam titles as a duopoly.
Alcaraz has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and has now spent 58 weeks — and counting — as the world No 1 during his career, and recently completed the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open.
Meanwhile, Sinner has spent 66 weeks atop the ATP Rankings during his career and has won four Grand Slam titles, with the Italian looking to complete the Career Grand Slam at the French Open this spring.
Alcaraz and Sinner have dominated the men’s game immediately off the back of the ‘Big 4’ era, in which Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray were clear at the top of the sport.
And, speaking on the Tennis Insider Club podcast, former world No 1 Courier claimed that the ‘New 2’ of Alcaraz and Sinner would be able to compete with those tennis greats.
“Over the last year and a half, they’ve won all the majors. They can play on every surface, they’re young, they move incredibly well,” said Courier.
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“I think they would have been competitive with the Big Four. They probably grew up watching them and copying what they did.
“Jannik looks a lot like Novak in how he moves and plays. Carlos looks like no one — he’s his own thing. He’s taken the best parts of everyone.”
Alcaraz and Sinner are currently well clear of their ATP Tour contemporaries, with a 38-year-old Djokovic arguably the most likely challenger to the duo.
All eyes are on whether and when another member of their generation can step up to truly challenge them, with the likes of Ben Shelton, Jack Draper, and Joao Fonseca among those often named as potential rivals in the future.
However, it will be no easy feat for anyone to establish themselves as a force alongside the Spaniard and the Italian, with their gap over the field seemingly increasing in recent months.
Speaking further, four-time Grand Slam singles champion Courier expressed his belief that the pair had no areas in their game that could currently be exploited.
He added: “What’s clear is that for most of tennis history, you could be a top player with a weakness. Right now, Sinner and Alcaraz don’t have weaknesses.
“That means technique becomes even more important. When the game is this fast, you have to be offensive everywhere. That’s relatively new.
“Rafa eventually had no weaknesses. Roger changed rackets late in his career, so his backhand became more of a weapon — especially against Rafa.
“In my generation, even [Pete] Sampras had a side you could play to safely — his backhand. That doesn’t exist anymore. There’s nowhere you feel safe.”
After their Australian Open campaigns, Alcaraz and Sinner are set to return to action at the Qatar Open, which takes place next week.
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