Safin questions Sinner and Alcaraz's dominance: "The level of tennis has dropped a lot"

Marat Safin has never been one to mince words. The Russian, a two-time Grand Slam champion and one of the most unique personalities in modern tennis, offered a very critical view of the current state of the ATP circuit, even casting doubt on whether Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz could have dominated during the era of the Big 3 or even in the early 2000s.

Statements by Marat Safin, made in a conversation aired on Youtube with his sister, Dinara Safina, and fellow tennis player Anna Chakvetadze, do not intend to diminish the achievements of the two current tennis giants. In fact, he openly acknowledges that both are extraordinary players and fully deserved champions. However, he argues that the average level of the circuit has considerably declined compared to what he experienced during his career, and he believes that this context partly explains the dominance being exerted by both the Italian and the Spanish player.

Safin doesn't believe Sinner and Alcaraz could have dominated in other generations

When asked about a hypothetical match-up between the current top players and the great champions of his generation, Safin was clear from the outset. "I think I probably would have lost to them, but I don't see them as players who inspire fear," he stated. The Russian went even further when asked if he regarded Sinner and Alcaraz at the level of Roger Federer.

"No, they are not Federer at all. It's a completely different level. To reach Federer's level, they still have a long way to go", he asserted. Nevertheless, he wanted to make it clear that he was not trying to belittle the current leaders of the circuit. "I don't want to disparage anyone. It's just my way of seeing it," he explained.

Marat Safin believes neither the Italian nor the Spanish player would have been top 2 in the ATP ranking

The most resolute reflection came when Safin imagined Sinner and Alcaraz competing during the era that saw figures like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, or even in the early 2000s. "If Sinner and Alcaraz had played during the time of Nadal and Djokovic, or even at the beginning of the 2000s, they wouldn't have been number one or number two in the world. I don't think they would have reached that level," he concluded.

This opinion will inevitably fuel the age-old generational debate in tennis. While many believe that the current physical and tactical level is superior to any other era, Safin precisely holds the opposite theory.

Safin believes the average level of tennis has declined

The former world number one based his argument on what, in his view, represents the main difference between both generations: the competitive depth of the circuit. "The level of tennis has dropped. I don't know why it happened, but the level is no longer the same," he stated. Safin explained that during his professional career, the demand started much earlier than in the final rounds.

"Before, there were thirty or fifty players capable of playing extraordinary tennis. Now, at most, there are ten. They reach the semifinals or finals without losing a single set, and I find that amusing," he commented. According to the Russian, the path to the later rounds of a Grand Slam then required constantly overcoming opponents of enormous skill level, something he considers less common nowadays.

Specialists have disappeared, according to Safin

Another aspect that Safin misses is the extensive specialization that existed two decades ago. "There were grass specialists, clay court specialists, and hard court specialists. There were many players capable of competing at the highest level depending on the surface," he recalled.

Safin believes that diversity made it much more challenging to make a mark in major tournaments and forced favorites to face highly demanding matches practically from the early rounds. "If you look at finals from the nineties or early 2000s, there was an incredible number of very powerful players," he pointed out.

Marat recognizes the talent of Sinner and Alcaraz, despite his criticisms

Despite the severity of his comparisons, Safin emphasized that he does not question the immense quality of the two men currently dominating the circuit. "They are excellent players, extraordinary tennis players, and have won many titles," he acknowledged. Nevertheless, he maintains reservations when comparing their achievements with those of previous generations. "I'm not sure if they would have won as many Grand Slams playing in that era. I'm not sure," he concluded.

The words of Marat Safin reopen a debate as old as the sport itself: Is it possible to compare such different generations? The Russian has a clear answer and believes that the competitive context of two decades ago was much more demanding. Others will argue that Sinner and Alcaraz are a product of the physical, tactical, and technological evolution of modern tennis. What cannot be denied is that, once again, Marat Safin has stirred up the tennis world.