Against Sinner most players can't do anything, but when Alcaraz raises the level, no one can keep up

Andrés Tomás Rico | 24 Nov 2025 | 12.00

Against Sinner most players can't do anything, but when Alcaraz steps up, no one can keep up with him. Photo: Gettyimages.

Streaming ATP Gstaad live tennis

🎾 Federico Cina vs Patrick Zahraj

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the two men who firmly lead world tennis with an iron fist and a significant margin over the rest, seem not to have a third companion to challenge them on equal terms in 2026.

Perhaps Novak Djokovic will appear in a Grand Slam, maybe Ben Shelton will surprise, or Félix Auger-Aliassime will make the definitive leap. But all of these are uncertainties, whereas the performance of the Spanish and Italian players in tennis and their results are indisputable. Therefore, the debate focuses on the two of them and the eternal question of who is better between the two. Alcaraz finished the year as number one, winning the finals of Roland Garros and the US Open, while Sinner claimed Wimbledon and the ATP Finals. Each person will have their favorite, and their reasons will be more than justified.

Nevertheless, for Patrick Mouratoglou, the question is different, and the French coach, through his LinkedIn account, prefers to enjoy them before choosing who is superior. He recalled the beginning of the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal before the remarkable emergence of Novak Djokovic.

Patrick Mouratoglou prioritizes enjoying Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner before deciding who is better

"Before the Big 3, tennis had a Big 2: Federer and Nadal. At that time, something unusual happened: Roger was the best player in the world, defeating everyone, dominating the circuit, but Rafa was better between the two. Due to their matchups, patterns, because Roger did not have the solutions at that moment. It was a paradox, and fascinating."

Here is where he sees similarities with Alcaraz and Sinner: "Today we have a world number one named Carlos Alcaraz, who has defeated his nemesis Jannik Sinner in 10 out of their 16 matches. Alcaraz leads in their Grand Slam finals' head-to-head by 3-1 and 4-2 in total Grand Slam matches. However, Sinner consistently surpasses all other circuit rivals and has nearly caught up to Alcaraz in the ATP rankings despite missing three months of play."

"He is often portrayed as the 'true' number one, leading to this perception, especially after his dominance at the ATP Finals: Sinner is better than anyone, but Alcaraz is the better of the two. Sorry, but I do not believe it," confesses the former coach of players like Serena Williams, Holger Rune, or Naomi Osaka.

"Although Carlos leads their head-to-head, their matches are extremely close. The Roland Garros final was decided by small details; nothing indicated that one player did not have responses for the other. Technically, tactically, and mentally, they are equals," the Frenchman opines.

Mouratoglou then dares to explain the nuances that differentiate the giants of current tennis: "What really sets them apart is how they dominate all others. Jannik does it with focus, margin, and without fluctuations. Against most players, they simply cannot do anything. Carlos does it differently, with creativity, risk, explosive winners, and sometimes more ups and downs. But when he raises his level, no one can keep up with him."

So, Mouratoglou's final recipe is that instead of endlessly comparing them, we should enjoy these two titans who have arrived just after the best era in tennis history: "This is not Federer-Nadal. It is something new. Something unique. And truthfully, we are incredibly fortunate to witness it from the start," concluded a highly respected voice in the world of tennis.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, "Contra Sinner la mayoría de jugadores no pueden hacer nada, pero cuando Alcaraz sube el nivel, nadie le sigue el ritmo"

ATP