Connors: "Young players have to improve because, otherwise, we will only see showdowns between Alcaraz and Sinner"

Andrés Tomás Rico | 23 Sep 2025 | 17.49

Connors: "Young players have to improve because, otherwise, we will only see duels between Alcaraz and Sinner". Photo: Getty Images.

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Jimmy Connors took a deep look at the current situation of tennis and also had time to point out the differences compared to the tennis of his era. The eight-time Grand Slam champion never holds back when giving his opinion and doesn't care about the repercussions of his words.

This was evident in his podcast Advantage Connors with his son Brett, where he discussed the lack of young tennis players who can challenge the dominance of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, praised the exceptional level shown by Novak Djokovic in 2025, and issued a warning to Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas if they want to win a Grand Slam. Additionally, he also expressed concern about Björn Borg's cancer.

Differences between the tennis of his era and today

"They are not afraid to take risks and hit their shots, no matter where they are on the court. That is a significant difference between then and now. Whether they are a meter and a half or two meters from the baseline or a meter and a half from the doubles alley, the shots they can produce with the racket and strings are very different. The violence with which modern players strike is something that I really cannot understand."

Outstanding call pending with Björn Borg

"I speak with him once a month, every four or five weeks, and I haven't talked to him since I found out. But I talk to him and Patricia, so I owe him a call to wish him the best because there are many things that can be done about it now, and I hope he caught it in time and feels well. Live life, no matter what happens. He never stays still. I talk to him, he's in Stockholm. The next time I talk to him, he's in Ibiza. The next time I talk to him, he's in India. He's everywhere. He doesn't stop. But he's my friend, I don't want him to go through everything he's experiencing now."

Praise for Alcaraz and warning to Zverev and Tsitsipas

"It's all about knowing the court, and I think the younger ones are becoming smarter and understanding better what it means to step onto the court. Carlos Alcaraz certainly understands it, and has from a very young age. That's why players like Zverev and Tsitsipas better realize quickly, because otherwise, they'll be looking from side to side: the young ones ahead and those behind. The opportunity to win a Grand Slam is closing fast for them."

Impressed by Djokovic's level and concerned about the competition faced by Alcaraz and Sinner

"Djokovic's dominance is insane because there are only two players at a level above his. It's insane. And the young ones will have to improve, and I say this with the utmost respect, because otherwise, we'll just have an Alcaraz-Sinner duel, Alcaraz-Sinner, Alcaraz-Sinner. It's been like this for the last eight Grand Slams. Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal suddenly had Djokovic, then Andy Murray. There were alternations that made the rivalry more exciting, but we need someone to take a stand and participate in this rivalry," suggests a Jimmy Connors who hopes someone will challenge the two kings of the circuit: Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Connors: "Los jóvenes tienen que mejorar porque, si no, solo veremos duelos entre Alcaraz y Sinner"