Are Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz having an easy ride at the top of men’s tennis?
It is an argument many observers have offered up over the last couple of years, as the two top ranked players in the game have imposed a vie-like grip on the biggest tournaments in the sport.
Sinner and Alcaraz have won all nine of the last Grand Slam titles, with Novak Djokovic the last player to win a major title before them at the 2023 US Open.
Alcaraz’s Australian Open win in January allowed him to become the youngest player to win all four majors in the men’s game and in the opinion of respected coach Jamie Delgado, the challenges being presented to the ‘Big 2’ in men’s tennis are not as strong as they were in years gone by.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic all had periods of their careers when they were dominating on a level that could be compared to Sinner and Alcaraz now, with Delgado believing the players pushing the original ‘Big 3’ were of a higher quality than what we are seeing now.
More Tennis News
Carlos Alcaraz may never win the Miami Open again for one reason – Emma Raducanu’s ex-coach
Juan Martin del Potro issues candid verdict on who can rival Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner
“Jannik and Carlos are incredible players and I think they could mix it with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, for sure,” said Delgado in a recent episode of the Off Court with Greg podcast.
“I do think that in yesteryear, like 10 years ago or so, I think we had more challengers to those guys. I think the level was a bit higher in the time when Roger, Novak, Rafa and Andy Murray were at the top.
“Just behind them, you had the likes of Juan Martin del Potro, [Stan] Wawrinka and Thomas Berdych. I think these guys were more of a threat to the those top four than some of the guys now.
“So in my opinion, I think the top 10, 15 were stronger before better players, but I think the general level on the tour, a guy ranked 30 in the world, 40 in the world, 50 in the world, I think is better now.
“I can say that from a coach’s perspective, you know, the last few years with Grigor [Dimitorv], every match is really difficult.
“You know, I kind of feel that my player has to be on it from the first match. Every match is super tough.
“Whereas I don’t know if, know, 10, 15 years ago, I think sometimes the first round for the top guys was a bit more of a struggle in the park, I feel.
“So I think in the earlier rounds, you’ve got to be on it now. There’s no question about it, but come quarters and semis, I think there was more danger and a bit more quality before for the guys right at the top.”
A current top 10 featuring the Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton highlights Delgado’s view, with Sinner and Alcaraz boasting a winning record against the players they are facing in the quarter-finals and semi-finals of big events.
Want more from Tennis365? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for tennis coverage you can trust.
That level of dominance from the top two gives them a psychological advantage over their rivals, but there are some signs that the chasing pack are getting close.
Jakub Mensik beat Sinner in Qatar in February and Alcaraz lost against Daniil Medvedev and Sebastian Korda in Indian Wells and Miami.
Those results will give the players looking to knock Sinner and Alcaraz off their perch some hope that they are vulnerable, but beating them in a best-of-five-set Grand Slam match is a very different prospect and that is a challenge that has proved to be beyond the chasing pack for a long time.
READ NEXT: Carlos Alcaraz told to walk away from big pay days after shock Miami Open defeat
The post Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz accused of having an ‘easy ride’ at the top of men’s tennis? appeared first on Tennis365.
Leave a Reply