Haas chooses Alcaraz over Sinner

Few voices are more authoritative to speak about tennis than that of Tommy Haas. The German, former world number 2 and winner of 15 ATP titles, has had the opportunity to closely observe the evolution of the circuit over several generations and, like many fans, has surrendered to the phenomenon currently led by Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner.

The Spaniard and the Italian have practically shared all the major titles in recent seasons. Between them, they won nine consecutive Grand Slams from the 2024 Australian Open to the 2026 Australian Open, a hegemony only interrupted by Alexander Zverev with his victory at Roland Garros. During an interview on the podcast Behind the Athletes, Haas was asked about the differences that make Alcaraz and Sinner such special players.

"You have to see them live to understand"

Before getting into comparisons, Haas wanted to highlight something that, according to him, often goes unnoticed by those who follow tennis only on television. "For me, it's always exceptional to see them when they come to Indian Wells. I sit courtside and sometimes I like to observe just the player, without following the ball, focusing on their reactions, footwork, anticipation, concentration, and desire to win."

The German believes that contemporary tennis reaches a completely different dimension when witnessed live. "I always say, until you watch tennis in person, you don't really understand what's happening. Television sometimes doesn't do it justice. You don't appreciate the height of the ball, the spin, the different speeds. When you are courtside and see how they react and the power with which they play these days, it's truly amazing."

Haas picks Alcaraz over Sinner

Although he acknowledged the extraordinary level of both players, Haas didn't hesitate when choosing his favorite. "Alcaraz is probably my favorite player right now because he can do it all. He has touch, can defend with the backhand slice, can vary with drop shots. You never know if his forehand will come at over 180 kilometers per hour, if he will play with a lot of spin, flat, or if he will execute a drop shot. You don't know if he'll stay behind the baseline on the return, if he'll attack, come to the net, or serve and volley. It's phenomenal to watch him play."

While placing Alcaraz ahead in terms of spectacle, Haas also lavished great praise on Jannik Sinner, the current world number one. "With Sinner, you know what you're going to get. As soon as he has a chance to take control of the point, he does so. He hits the ball with huge power and consistently finds an extraordinary placement, both in depth and direction."

However, he believes there is still room for improvement in certain areas. "You can always improve something. I think Sinner can still progress in net approaches and in touch play, like drop shots. When he's at his best, he finds areas of the court where he hardly misses despite the speed of his shots. He plays close to the baseline on both sides, and it's very difficult to surpass him."