I'm sorry, Sascha, but yes: the distance between Alcaraz and Sinner and the rest is enormous

Carlos Navarro | 13 Nov 2025 | 12.16

Zverev fell again to Sinner and evidenced that the distance between them is very large. Source: Getty

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Yesterday, Alexander Zverev commented, following his victory over Jannik Sinner, that the scoreline (6-4, 6-3) didn't reflect the reality of the match. According to the German, the closely matched duel had been a match of very high level from both sides, with the slight difference (slight for some, of course) that the one from San Candido had showcased his first serve in critical moments while he, on the contrary, did not. A simplistic reduction of the eons of distance between their rackets.

I'm not saying it; the ATP ranking says it. It was one of the most viewed and read news last week: the gap between the world number two (Jannik Sinner) and number three (Alexander Zverev) in the ATP ranking is greater than the distance between Sascha and the thousandth-ranked player in the ranking. It might seem like a mere coincidence, a result of two players separating themselves from the rest in Grand Slams and best-of-five sets, but these differences become evident, of course, when the crucial moments of a match arrive.

And no, Sascha, don't deceive yourself: as of today, the ATP circuit has fallen into the hands of a duopoly whose difference from the rest is enormous. Astronomical. Contrary to what the German stated, the margins are very wide. And these 2025 ATP Finals once again highlight it: both Zverev and Taylor Fritz did not feel inferior to Jannik and Carlos in two matches far from the emotional intensity of a Grand Slam semifinal or final... yet they couldn't overcome the challenges presented to them: the Spaniard and Italian always brought out their best when the match demanded it.

Alcaraz and Sinner make the difference in crucial points, but they do so because of the huge gap in their game compared to the rest

Reducing the analysis to the appearance or absence of unstoppable serves in critical moments is an exercise that deviates from a correct analysis, but even doing so, neither the German nor the American come out well. What use is having a monstrous serve, regularly hitting over 200 km/h if, in the pressure moments of the match, that serve diminishes and becomes just another one? When this happens systematically, isn't the better server precisely the one who shines in those moments, choosing the right time to bring out their best tennis? Is it a coincidence or simply a reflection that there is a player with, in essence, a better arsenal?

Because the feeling of yesterday's match, despite Zverev proclaiming equality from the baseline, is that Sinner could have stepped up at any moment... and Sascha wouldn't have been able to counter it. Even a half-paced Jannik, with initial errors on the drive side, had enough depth in his game to hand a 6-4, 6-3 defeat to a player who didn't drop below an 80% first serve rate (and possesses one of the most lethal serves on the circuit).

A similar situation occurred with the Fritz vs. Alcaraz match: the American returned with fierce aggression for two hours, showcased brilliance for two complete sets, executed his game plan perfectly... and a not overly imposing Alcaraz with his serve only needed ten minutes of brilliance to sway the match in his favor. It's no coincidence: Jannik and Carlos are two machines with a myriad of resources at their disposal, with an impressive ability to dominate from the serve and return, and it's these resources and the confidence to execute various strategies that allow them to face crucial moments with such self-assurance.

So yes, Alexander: the gap between you and the two rulers of the current ATP circuit is enormous, despite your attempts to reduce it to just a couple of points. It's precisely in those points where this maxim is most evident... and it doesn't seem like this phenomenon will change in the near future unless Jannik and Carlos grow tired of winning and surpassing each other. For now, and if all of 2025 hadn't demonstrated it, the competition among the masters has once again indicated that two of them have had a long time with a doctorate... while the rest are still repeating master's courses. Perhaps someone who is still in their undergraduate studies will surpass them soon and shake up the total duopoly in which we find ourselves... although we will have to wait, at the very least, until 2026 to see.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Lo siento, Sascha, pero sí: la distancia entre Alcaraz y Sinner y el resto es enorme