Who will be the third sword in tennis in 2026? Djokovic, Shelton, Auger-Aliassime?

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As of today, it seems that neither Carlos Alcaraz nor Jannik Sinner have rivals who can challenge them. Just look at their dominance in the last eight Grand Slams, and the fact that in the last 19 tournaments they both played, one of them emerged victorious in 18 occasions.

In 2025, the player who came closest to them, or at least tried to, was Novak Djokovic. The Serbian made it to the semifinals of all four Grand Slams, but was defeated by Jannik Sinner in Roland Garros and Wimbledon, and by Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open. Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev holds the third spot in the ATP ranking but never came close to causing them harm. On the other hand, names like Ben Shelton and Félix Auger-Aliassime are starting to show promise.

At least, according to four former American tennis players like Jack Sock, John Isner, Sam Querrey, and Steve Johnson. Each of them shared their views on the Nothing Major Show podcast. Two of them agreed on a player, while the other two favored different contenders. However, regardless of their choices, they all concur that in 2026, they won't be able to match the level of Alcaraz and Sinner.

Novak Djokovic, Ben Shelton, and Félix Auger-Aliassime are the favorites to challenge Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in 2026

The first to voice his opinion was Jack Sock. The former world No. 8 ATP player opted for a player whose performance has been on the rise and poses a threat for 2026: "Felix Auger-Aliassime gets my vote. He ended the season in fifth place globally, his best ever ranking. He competed in the ATP Finals and finished the year playing at an exceptionally high level. I don't know what happened to him. He wasn't always consistent, but by the end of this season, he was playing at an incredible level. That's why he will start 2026 as the world number five, and that's why I choose him, hoping he maintains the same style next year," stated the first of the four Americans.

Next up was John Isner, who backed the old guard and remains hopeful that Novak Djokovic continues to contend: "For me, it will be Novak Djokovic who had the best year after Alcaraz and Sinner. He made it to the semifinals of all four Grand Slams despite being 38 years old. Therefore, I vote for Novak, and I think it's a pretty straightforward choice."

While both Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson converged in their prediction: Ben Shelton. "He started the year ranked 21st globally, but he had very good results in major competitions. In 2025, he broke into the top ten and won his first career Masters 1000 title in Toronto. The only thing that bothers me are the defeats against Goffin, Mensik, Munar, or Davidovich. Without those unexpected losses, this would have been a phenomenal year for him. He is constantly climbing in the world rankings and getting better all the time," Johnson confessed.

Querrey was in the same mindset, saying, "Shelton is also my favorite. I completely agree with Stevie. For me, his significant progress in the Grand Slams was key; reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open, the round of 16 at Roland Garros, and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon," concluded Sam Querrey, who, along with his fellow Americans, sees Novak Djokovic, Félix Auger-Aliassime, and Ben Shelton as the only players capable of disturbing the peace of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ¿Quién será la tercera espada del tenis en 2026? ¿Djokovic, Shelton, Auger-Aliassime?