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A popularity contest at the top of men’s tennis was often a big talking point when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were dominating the sport and we may soon have the debate revived with the new ‘Big 2’ in men’s tennis.

Djokovic fans who appeared to relish social media battles with a little too much relish were always quick to suggest their man was treated differently by the world’s media than Federer and Nadal, with the Serbian backing up those sentiments in numerous interviews.

The simple truth was that Federer and Nadal had a bigger and wider fanbase than a rival who broke through at the top of the game after they had started their rivalry, with the third member of the ‘Big 3’ an unwanted distraction for fans keen to cherish the Roger vs Rafa showdowns.

Now we have started a new era in men’s tennis, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominating at the top of the game and once again, there is a clear winner in the popularity stakes.

While Sinner’s brilliantly efficient tennis is admired, Alcaraz’s beaming smile and endearing personality mean he is the player more tennis fans have warmed to during a period when he has shared the Grand Slam titles with his Italian rival.

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Alcaraz is the shining star of men’s tennis and his eagerness to take part in engaging interviews and show his personality to fans has helped him to build up a huge following among youthful supporters.

Young boys and girls around the world have adopted Alcaraz as their new sporting hero and, inevitably, they will be cheering against his big rival Sinner.

While Sinner has yet to face the kind of animosity Djokovic has been forced to deal with in a career that has seen him booed and jeered by fans around the world, the Italian may never attract the kind of devotion Alcaraz gets.

In Italy, Sinner is a national hero, but his calm and polite personality is not as exciting as Alcaraz’s ebullient charm and he accepts his rival will always be a step ahead of him in that department.

“We are two different kinds of players, different personalities,” Sinner said. “I am the more solid player in a way, you are much better with the touch of the ball, you have very good sensibility.

“Carlos is a great person and that is why we have such a good friendship away from the court. We can all see he smiles a lot and he has a nice personality, so he is great for tennis.”

The battle on the court between these two great champions will be fascinating to watch, but Alcaraz may always have an edge on his more stoic rival off it and that is likely to lead to more lucrative sponsorship deals with companies eager to be part of the story of the most popular player in tennis.

However, money is unlikely to be a concern for either of these two great champions who will be taking home in excess of $20million in prize money every year for the foreseeable future if they continue their domination of the men’s game.

The post Why Jannik Sinner is destined to lose out to Carlos Alcaraz in one big battle appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz was the standout performer of 2025, with the Spanish star producing the best season of his career to finish 2025 as the year-end No 1.

After winning eight titles — including two Grand Slam titles — this season, Alcaraz now faces the challenge of attempting to back up his stunning year across 2026.

Here, we look at the predicted schedule that the Spaniard is expected to play next season as he looks to secure his place at the very top of the men’s game.

Australian Open — Jan 18 – Feb 1st

Alcaraz’s season will start with a historic quest at the Australian Open, with the Spaniard looking to win the title for the first time.

The Spaniard is a two-time quarter-finalist Down Under but, having won the other three majors, will be looking to complete the Career Grand Slam.

Rotterdam Open — February 9-15

Alcaraz claimed the first indoor title of his career at the Rotterdam Open in 2025, beating Alex de Minaur in the final.

He is already confirmed to be returning to the event in 2026, with action starting eight days after the Australian Open final.

Qatar Open — Februay 16-21

Alcaraz reached the quarter-final of the Qatar Open this February, where he was stunned by Jiri Lehecka in three sets.

This is an event he may potentially skip in 2026, though he may also want some hard-court prep ahead of the year’s first Masters 1000 event.

Indian Wells — March 4-15

The first Masters 1000 event of the year comes at Indian Wells, one of the most prestigious events on tour outside of the four Grand Slams.

Alcaraz won back-to-back titles in Tennis Paradise in 2023 and 2024, though he was shocked in the semi-final in 2025 by eventual champion Jack Draper.

Miami Open — March 18-29

Action in Indian Wells is followed swiftly by the Miami Open, where Alcaraz won his first Masters 1000 title back in 2022.

He was beaten in round two of the event by David Goffin this year and will be eyeing up a much stronger campaign in 2026.

Monte Carlo Masters — April 5-12

Alcaraz’s 2025 surge started with his run to the title at the Monte Carlo Masters in April, beating Lorenzo Musetti in the final to triumph for the first time.

The world No 1 looks set to start his clay-court swing at Country Club once again, though he did miss the event in both 2023 and 2024 due to injury concerns.

Barcelona Open — April 13-19

Many have questioned whether Alcaraz will miss the ATP 500 Barcelona Open in 2025 to prioritise the Masters events on the dirt, but he has been a regular at the event in recent years.

He lifted the title in 2022 and 2023 and reached the final in 2025, though he was absent in 2024 due to injury.

Madrid Open — Apr 22 – May 3

One of the 22-year-old’s biggest targets this year could well be to regain the Madrid Open title, having lost in the quarter-final in 2024 and then withdrawing in 2025.

The Spaniard previously claimed back-to-back titles at the Masters 1000 event in 2022 and 2023, at what is the biggest tennis event held in Spain.

Italian Open — May 6-17

The third Masters 1000 event of the clay swing will see Alcaraz head to Rome as the defending champion.

He beat home favourite Jannik Sinner in the final this year, and will want to silence the home crowd once again.

French Open — May 24 – Jun 7

Having won the French Open title in 2024 and 2025, can Alcaraz complete a Roland Garros ‘threepeat’ in 2026?

The Spaniard has won two five-set finals to lift the title in Paris, and is a provisional favourite once again heading into the new year.

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Queen’s Club Championship — June 15-21

Alcaraz’s grass-court season will likely start at the Queen’s Club, where he has become a regular in recent seasons.

The Spaniard first lifted the title in 2023 and beat Lehecka to triumph at the ATP 500 for the second time in 2025.

Wimbledon — Jun 29 – Jul 12

The third Grand Slam tournament of the season will see Alcaraz look to reach a fourth straight final at Wimbledon.

He defeated Novak Djokovic in back-to-back finals in 2023 and 2024, though his reign was ultimately ended by chief rival Sinner this summer.

Canadian Open — August 1-13

Alcaraz withdrew from the Canadian Open in 2025 due to the turnaround from Wimbledon, though a three-week gap in 2026 means he is more likely to play.

The Spaniard has never won the title in Canada, reaching the quarter-final on his most recent appearance at the tournament in 2023.

Cincinnati Open — August 13-23

Having lost a thrilling final in 2023, Alcaraz claimed the Cincinnati Open title for the first time in 2025.

The Spaniard will likely be back to defend his title in 2026, in what will be the second of two Masters 1000 events across the summer.

US Open — Aug 30 – Sep 13

The fourth and final Grand Slam season of the year, the Spaniard will be eyeing up his third US Open title at the end of the summer.

Alcaraz won the first of his six major titles at Flushing Meadows in 2022, and claimed his second title by beating Sinner in 2025.

Laver Cup – September 25-27

Alcaraz has competed at the Laver Cup in the past two seasons — and is already confirmed to be in action for Team Europe next year.

The 2026 Laver Cup will return to London, with Team World star Taylor Fritz also already confirmed to compete.

Japan Open — Sep 30 – Oct 6

The tight turnaround between London and Tokyo may make competing at the Japan Open more of a challenge, though it is more than possible that the Spaniard will still be in action.

A Yonex-sponsored player, the Spaniard lifted the title on his tournament debut in 2025 — choosing to play in Tokyo rather than Beijing.

Shanghai Masters — October 7-18

Alcaraz withdrew from the Shanghai Masters in 2025 after sustaining an injury in his Japan Open campaign, though he will hope to be fully fit for the event in 2026.

The world No 1 reached the quarter-final of the Masters 1000 event in 2024, after reaching round four on his debut in 2023.

Paris Masters — November 2-8

At the final Masters 1000 event of the season, the Spaniard will look to banish his Paris Masters demons in what has been a challenging event for him.

Alcaraz was stunned by Cameron Norrie in the opening round in 2025 and has only once reached the last eight, where he retired injured back in 2022.

ATP Finals — November 15-22

Assuming he qualifies, Alcaraz would be making his fourth straight appearance at the ATP Finals in 2026; he also qualified in 2022, but withdrew due to injury.

He reached the final for the first time in 2025, falling to Sinner.

Davis Cup Finals — November

Alcaraz did not play the Davis Cup Finals in 2025 but could be back at the event in 2026, assuming Spain qualify.

Read Next: Emma Raducanu 2026 schedule: Where will star play as she targets further rankings surge?

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Novak Djokovic is the “only one” who can end the Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner Grand Slam dominance, according to former doubles world No 1 Rennae Stubbs.

Alcaraz and Sinner have shared the eight majors on offer the past two years with each winning four titles and you have to go back to the 2023 US Open for the last time a different player tasted success at the Slams.

And that player, of course, was Djokovic as he won his record-extending 24th title at Flushing Meadows, but even he has been a distant third to the top two this year as he failed to reach a final at the biggest four events on the tennis calendar.

The former world No 1 fell at the semi-final stage at the four Grand Slams, losing twice to Sinner, once to Alcaraz and once to Alexander Zverev, but he did get one big win, and that was at the Australian Open when he defeated Alcaraz in the quarter-final.

But it was one-way traffic after that and Alcaraz and Sinner will head to next year’s season-opening Grand Slam at Melbouren Park as the clear favourites.

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When it was put to Stubbs on The Rennae Stubbs podcast that it is “hard to imagine anybody, but them barring any sort of serious injury or a series of upsets” that can win a big tournament, the four-time women’s Grand Slam doubles champion replied: “I have one at the Australian Open and I said it over and over. I do think that Novak is setting his sights.

“I don’t think he cared about the ATP Finals, clearly, he didn’t play it. I think he’s going to put all this time and effort into busting his a** one last time to win down in Australia.

“I think he’s the only one who can rock the cherry cart for Jannik and Carlos. Carlos has never made the finals there. Novak crushed him down there last year; one set was really good, but Novak was overall better.

“So I think Novak goes in there going, I know I can potentially get to a semi-final there, and I know I have maybe one more last grasp.”

But Stubbs does add that it is hard to look past Sinner to win the title as the Italian will be gunning for three consecutive Australian Open crowns next year.

“I don’t think he’d beat someone like Jannik on that court, I think Jannik is just too good on that court anymore. But it might be the one place that Novak can you know [win],” she said.

The Australian added: “There are also injuries, I mean, an injury can happen to a player, and you know, there’s been a couple of players that have slipped through and won a Grand Slam because the top players got injured.”

The post Former world No 1 names ‘one place’ where Novak Djokovic can win another Grand Slam appeared first on Tennis365.

Carlos Alcaraz may hold a 10-6 lead in his head-to-head battles with his great rival Jannik Sinner, but a leading coach has suggested the Italian is trailing in this compelling battle.

Alcaraz and Sinner have dominated men’s tennis for the past two years, as they have shared the last eight Grand Slam titles between them.

The chasm in class between the ‘Big 2’ and the rest appears to be widening, with the chasing pack showing no signs of getting any closer to the two players who contested the deciding match at the ATP Finals earlier this month.

Yet when assessing which of the duo is the best, opinion will always be divided.

In the opinion of leading coach Patrick Mouratoglou, there is no clear winner in a head-to-head that always serves up tight matches when they meet on court.

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Yet the former coach of Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka has dismissed the theory that Alcaraz is a step ahead of Sinner due to his winning record in their battles.

“We have a World No 1 named Carlos Alcaraz, who has defeated his nemesis Jannik Sinner in 10 out of their 16 matches,” he wrote on LinkedIn.

“Alcaraz leads their Grand Slam final head-to-head 3-1, and 4-2 in total Grand Slam matches. However, Sinner consistently overplays every other opponent on the Tour and has nearly tied Alcaraz in the ATP rankings despite missing three months of play.

“He is often pictured as the ‘real’ No 1, which leads to this perception, even more after his dominance at the ATP Finals. They say Sinner is better than anyone else, but Alcaraz is the best of the two. Sorry, but I don’t buy it.

“Even though Carlos leads their head-to-head, their matches are extremely close. The Roland-Garros final was decided by tiny details, nothing suggested that one player didn’t have the answers for the other. Technically, tactically, mentally, they are equals.

“What truly separates them is how they dominate everyone else. Jannik does it with focus, margin, and no fluctuations. Against most players, there’s simply nothing they can do.

“Carlos does it differently, with creativity, risk, explosive winners, and sometimes more ups and downs. But when he raises his level, no one can live with him.”

Mouratoglou’s suggestion that Alcaraz is close to being unstoppable when he is at his best was backed up by his thrilling dismantling of Sinner in the US Open final in September, but the truth is we will cannot answer who is the best of the duo right now.

It may take a decade to come up with a final decision on whether Alcaraz or Sinner was the best of this era of tennis and by then, it is safe to assume these two all-time greats of the game will have taken their Grand Slam win tally into double figures.

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Aryna Sabalenka described herself as “an open book” when responding to a question from Tennis365 at the Wuhan Open last month and she has lived up to that billing over the last few weeks.

It took the tennis world some time to warm to a player who screams every time she strikes a ball ensuring she stood out from the crowd… but not always for the right reasons.

First impressions count and looking at an agitated and often angry Sabalenka battling with herself on court meant she was struggled to attract supporters in her formative days on the WTA Tour.

Yet all that changed when she started to embrace social media platforms at a level few in the game can match, with her eagerness to allow the world to see behind the curtains in her world, changing the perception many had of this engaging superstar.

Her rise up the WTA Rankings was halted by serving yips that threatened to derail her career, but the fightback from that problem and her success in winning four Grand Slam titles over the last couple of years has ensured the noise she makes on court now is drowned out by her success.

Tennis fans have also been allowed to get to know Sabalenka thanks to her regular appearances on TikTok and Instagram, where the fun side of her personality shines.

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Agents and sponsors are constantly urging the players they are associated with to post regular social media updates on their lives, but it seems Sabalenka does not need that encouragement as she has great fun making videos of her dancing with fellow players and he friends and sharing photos of her time on holiday with boyfriend, Brazilian businessman Georgios Frangulis.

Social media can be a platform that attracts unwanted attention, especially for female stars, so her decision to be so open about her life despite that threat was admirable and it has paid off.

Sabalenka has over five million followers across Instagram and TikTok and she he enjoying the chance to share her story with her army of fans around the world.

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“I feel like I’m like an open book right now,” she told Tennis365 in Wuhan. “Sometimes they ask me, what is something that people will be surprised to know about you? And I’m like, they know everything, like literally everything about me!

“I show everything. And, the main reason was that, you know, I look really aggressive on court, and I cannot look at myself, watch myself playing. I feel terrible about myself because I’m super aggressive.

“I felt like and I wanted to be connected with people. I wanted to feel support in the stadiums. I wanted to experience that support, so I felt like I need to share myself.

“I need to show people who, who Aryna is and everything came from there, and that’s why I started to share myself to just to make sure that I can stay connected with people.”

Sabalenka has not let herons down in recent days as she has been loading her Instagram page with images of her holiday in the Maldives and while now is the time to relax, the world No 1 will soon turn her attention to the 2026 season and what she hopes will be the pursuit of more Grand Slam titles.

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Umberto Ferrara, the fitness trainer at the centre of Jannik Sinner’s doping controversy, has thanked the world No 2 for his “trust” in a social media message following his return to the Italian’s team.

Sinner’s 2025 season concluded with the 24-year-old winning his sixth title of 2025 at the ATP Finals in Turin, beating Carlos Alcaraz in the final to successfully defend his crown.

The world No 2 reached the final of all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2025, triumphing at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and also lifted trophies in Beijing, Vienna, and at the Paris Indoors.

Despite the Italian’s success, his season was marred by a three-month ban he served earlier in the year, with the 24-year-old settling his longstanding doping case with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Sinner initially tested positive twice for the banned steroid clostebol in March 2024, with the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s (ITIA) initial investigation holding Ferrara largely responsible.

The ITIA accepted Sinner’s explanation that he had been contaminated after Ferrara gave physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi a spray containing clostebol to treat a cut on his hand, before Naldi then treated Sinner without the use of gloves.

After the investigation was made public in August 2024, Sinner announced an immediate split from both Ferrara and Naldi, and was later suspended from February – May 2025 after WADA’s initial appeal regarding the ITIA’s ‘no fault or negligence’ verdict in his case.

However, after splitting with replacements Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio in June 2025, the four-time Grand Slam champion decided to bring Ferrara back into his team.

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The decision attracted questioning and criticism from some quarters, with Sinner refusing to comment too much further after an initial public statement.

Sinner ended the season strongly with consecutive titles at the Vienna Open, Paris Masters, and ATP Finals, also winning the China Open in September.

Ferrera was present for the world No 2’s post-title celebrations in Turin and, taking to Instagram, posted a message in which he reflected on his 2025 — and thanked Sinner.

He wrote (translated from Italian): “I’ve been in sports for many years but I’ll never stop being amazed at how beautiful it is.

“Sport is commitment, dedication, sacrifice; it’s emotion, smiles, tears; it’s victory and defeat, joy and disappointment; it’s comparison with oneself and others; it’s a desire to improve, analytical skills, confidence in work; it’s suffering in the dark moments that leave you inside a pain that is hard to digest, but it is also believing in the possibility of getting up and starting again with enthusiasm.

“It’s hard to condense it all into one post. This season (opened with the collaboration with Matteo [Berrettini], who I thank from the bottom of my heart) leaves me with so many unforgettable moments, which I was lucky enough to share with a fantastic team.

“Thanks to all of them but, above all, thanks to Jannik for the trust and the beauty of this common path.”

Sinner wrapped up his season following action in Turin, choosing not to play the Davis Cup Finals in Bologna, instead focusing on his preparations for 2025.

The Italian’s next official tournament will be the 2026 Australian Open, which he enters as the two-time defending champion.

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Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek added to their already significant legacies in 2025, with both women tasting further Grand Slam success.

And, their triumphs throughout 2025 saw both world No 1 Sabalenka and world No 2 Swiatek join an exclusive prize money club, becoming just the fourth and fifth women to earn over $10m in an individual season.

Here, we look at the six greatest prize money seasons in WTA Tour history, and how Sabalenka and Swiatek’s years compare to other leading seasons of the past.

6) Iga Swiatek, 2025 – $10,112,532

Swiatek earned over $8.4m in 2024, and over $9.5m in both 2022 and 2023, though her 2025 prize money haul is now the biggest of her career.

The Pole earned $10,112,532 across 2025, her highest ever total in a season, and the sixth-highest season tally ever on the WTA Tour.

Swiatek’s year was highlighted by the £3,000,000 — close to $4,000,000 — she earned for her stunning Wimbledon triumph, with further Cincinnati Open and Korea Open triumphs to her name.

5) Angelique Kerber, 2016 – $10,136,615

Kerber’s 2016 was by far and away the greatest season of her career, with the German’s stunning rise propelling her to the year-end world No 1 ranking.

Her season was highlighted by Australian Open and US Open triumphs, as well as success at the Stuttgart Open, alongside runner-up finishes at Wimbledon and the WTA Finals.

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Kerber ended the year with $10,136,615 in winnings — close to one-third of her career prize money, and the fifth-highest ever won in a WTA season.

4) Serena Williams, 2015 – $10,582,642

The first of two Williams appearances on this list, the legendary American earned over $10m for the second occasion during her historic 2015 campaign.

She won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon before a semi-final showing at the US Open, also winning the Miami Open and Cincinnati Open that season.

Williams’ haul of $10,582,642 was the second-highest she ever won in a season, and the fourth-highest of all time on the WTA Tour.

3) Ashleigh Barty, 2019 – $11,307,587

2019 was Barty’s incredible breakout season, with the Australian rising to world No 1, and sealing her first Grand Slam title at the French Open.

Barty was also the Miami Open and Birmingham Classic champion that year, and banked a then-record $4,420,000 thanks to her triumph at the WTA Finals in Shenzhen.

That triumph propelled the Australian to a staggering $11,307,587 for the year, the third-highest WTA prize money season in women’s tennis history.

2) Serena Williams, 2013 – $12,385,572

The second Williams appearance on this list, the American’s $12,385,572 won in 2013 was the record WTA prize money season up until now.

It was undoubtedly one of the most dominant seasons of the tennis icon’s career, winning a staggering 11 WTA titles in total — including victories at the French Open and US Open.

With further WTA 1000 triumphs in Miami, Madrid, Rome, Toronto, and Beijing to her name, as well as victory at the WTA Finals, Williams was well-rewarded for one of modern tennis’ greatest seasons.

1) Aryna Sabalenka, 2025 – $15,008,519

Williams’ record has now been broken by Sabalenka, who is now the first woman in history to earn over $15m in a single season of WTA Tour action.

The highlight of Sabalenka’s season was undoubtedly her triumph at the US Open, which banked her a staggering $5,000,000 in winnings.

The Belarusian was also the Miami Open, Madrid Open, and Brisbane International champion in 2025, and attained five further runner-up finishes — including at Roland Garros, the Australian Open, and the WTA Finals.

Sabalenka ended 2025 with $15,008,519 in winnings, a stunning new prize money record.

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Former ATP Tour star Jack Sock has questioned how close Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner are off the court, suggesting that the narrative of their friendship was “being pushed way harder than reality.”

World No 1 Alcaraz and world No 2 Sinner have dominated the ATP Tour across the past two seasons, with the two splitting the last eight Grand Slam men’s singles titles between them.

2025 saw Alcaraz seal the year-end No 1 ranking and claim a staggering eight titles, including victories at the French Open and US Open, while Sinner won six titles — including Australian Open and Wimbledon triumphs.

The pair met in six finals across 2025, including three straight Grand Slam finals in Paris, SW19, and New York, alongside the ATP Finals.

Alcaraz and Sinner appear to be comfortably clear of their fellow ATP colleagues, and, despite the significance of the matches they often play, their relationship is known to be hugely respectful.

The Spaniard and Italian are hugely complimentary of each other during presentation ceremonies and off the court, with many hailing the perceived friendship between the two.

However, former world No 8 and three-time doubles Grand Slam champion Sock has now suggested some have pushed the narrative of a friendship between the two too far.

Speaking on Nothing Major this week, the American suggested that Alcaraz and Sinner were unlikely to be as “close” as many suggest.

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“I think Carlos would be more open to it [a friendship], based on personality. I think Jannik seems very closed off to his bubble and to his people,” said Sock.

“I think tennis fans in general obviously loved the Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] narrative and everything, and they are good friends, and I think because they’re retired now and not around, people want that so much that they’re pushing this.

“Every tournament, I feel like every week now, you go on Twitter and it’s like: ‘Oh, Carlos and Jannik, look at this interaction they had as they’re passing by on the practice court.’

“Just because you dap somebody up and smile doesn’t mean you guys are like really close friends. Maybe it turns into that over the years with the rivalry and everything, but I think at the current moment, I think it’s being pushed way harder than reality.

“I agree that they’re friends, but the narrative that they’re really close is being pushed.”

The last meeting between Alcaraz and Sinner on court this year came at the ATP Finals in Turin, where the Italian prevailed in straight sets to successfully defend his title.

However, despite that defeat, Alcaraz still has a 10-6 advantage in their head-to-head.

All eyes will be on their rivalry in 2026, as to whether the Spaniard can move further ahead or if Sinner can close the gap in their head-to-head — and if anyone can come close to challenging their dominance.

The pair are set to meet in an exhibition match in South Korea in early January, shortly before the start of the first Grand Slam event of the year: the Australian Open.

Alcaraz heads into Melbourne looking to complete the Career Grand Slam, while Sinner will look to win a third straight title at the tournament.

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Rafael Nadal has revealed that the first two sets of his 2020 French Open final victory over Novak Djokovic helped make that the favourite of the 14 championship matches he played at the tournament.

‘King of Clay’ Nadal memorably dominated the French Open for the best part of two decades, winning 14 of his 22 Grand Slam singles titles at Roland Garros during his legendary career.

No player in tennis history has won as many singles titles at one individual major as Nadal did at Roland Garros, with the Spaniard winning every final he ever contested at the tournament.

The Spaniard reached the final — and lifted the title — for the first time in 2005, and claimed the last of his 14 titles inside Court Philippe Chatrier in 2022, which proved to be his final career title full stop.

Nadal’s clay dominance meant that he was never once pushed to five sets in a final at the French Open, with many of his victories coming in straight sets.

However, in a video shared on the French Open’s social media channels, Nadal has revealed why his 2020 victory over Djokovic was so special.

The 39-year-old’s 13th French Open title was one of his most impressive, with the Spaniard beating his greatest rival 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to triumph once again at the tournament.

Usually held in May and June, the 2020 edition of the event was held in cooler and more challenging October conditions due to COVID.

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Explaining why this final was so special, Nadal revealed that the fact he was considered slightly less of a “favourite” that year was a factor.

He said: “Maybe the first two sets of the 2020 final…very, very special.

“It was the year of COVID. We played Roland Garros later on [in] the season with much colder conditions, against Novak in the final, with the feeling that it was probably the year that I was less [of a] favourite.

“I was able to get in the final, and then in the final, I was able to increase my level of tennis in a very special way.

“These two sets, I think, have been so special.”

Nadal’s victory over Djokovic was the third time he had beaten arguably his greatest rival in the final at Roland Garros, after four-set victories in 2012 and 2014.

It was also the ninth and final time the two met in a Grand Slam final, the most such meetings between two men in the Open Era.

Nadal finished their rivalry with a slender 5-4 advantage across their nine major finals, though Djokovic ultimately won more Slams — 24 to Nadal’s 22 — and holds a 31-29 advantage in their overall head-to-head.

Outside of his victories over Djokovic in 2012, 2014, and 2020, Nadal also beat Mariano Puerta (2005), Roger Federer (2006-08, 2011), Robin Soderling (2010), David Ferrer (2013), Stan Wawrinka (2017), Dominic Thiem (2018-19), and Casper Ruud (2022) in French Open finals.

We asked Rafa to pick his favorite Roland-Garros final.

His answer: the first two sets of the 2020 final pic.twitter.com/JxnEKsF0hF

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) November 21, 2025

Read Next: Roger Federer’s ex-coach reveals which of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner is most like the Swiss legend

The post Rafael Nadal reveals his favourite of the 14 French Open finals he won appeared first on Tennis365.

Ivan Ljubicic believes that Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will continue to dominate the tennis tour for the next two or three years, drawing upon similarities between the Spaniard and Roger Federer.

Alcaraz and Sinner have ruled the tennis scene for the last two years, winning all eight Grand Slams which have been contested within that period.

Arguably even more impressively, the pair have ended the 2025 season with more than double the number of ranking points that their nearest competitor, Alexander Zverev, posseses.

The Croat, who is a former world No 3, has stated that the rivalry is ‘fascinating’, even if he doesn’t believe the rest of the tour will provide for a ‘challenge’ in 2026.

“The rest are not there, they haven’t reach that level, so I don’t expect anything to change in the next two or three years,” Ljubicic predicted, in an interview with Punto de Break.

“Perhaps someone will emerge, but it will be individual performances here and there; I don’t think they will challenge Carlos and Jannik on a global level throughout the year.

“It’s interesting. They are two different players, two different personalities, so it’s great to see that contrast every time they face each other.

“The numbers show that Carlos is slightly ahead of Jannik, he is also a bit younger, but it’s fascinating and fantastic for tennis to have a rivalry like this right after the Big Three.”

Most recently, Alcaraz and Sinner faced off in the showpiece match of the 2025 Nitto ATP Finals – with the latter coming out on top via a 7-6(5), 7-5 victory to claim his second title in Turin.

It is Alcaraz who pipped the year-end No 1 title, leading Sinner 4-2 in their head-to-head for the season.

As a result of such a competitive rivalry at the top of the sport, many have sought to draw comparisons between the pair and that of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Federer.

More relevantly, Alcaraz has often been compared to the Swiss for his creativity and aggressiveness on court.

Ljubicic, who coached Federer from late 2015 until the end of his career, largely agrees with the comparison – caveating with the vast personality differences between the pair.

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“In terms of tennis, maybe, yes [he is most similar to Federer],” he said.

“In terms of personality and character, I think they are completely different, and I don’t believe you can disconnect one from the other.

“However, right now, Carlos is the most creative player, he is the player who generates the most excitement on a tennis court. Still, I think it’s too early to talk about these things.

“Yes, I believe he generates those emotions in tennis fans, in people who love this sport, he brings something different.

“There was a moment, five or ten years ago, when we were afraid that all players would be the same.

“He brought a different angle through his tennis. It’s fantastic.”

Alcaraz and Sinner are due to next face off on January 10^th 2026 in a Korean exhibition, prior to the season’s first Australian Open.

The post Roger Federer’s ex-coach reveals which of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner is most like the Swiss legend appeared first on Tennis365.