Richard Krajicek has warned Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz that Alexander Zverev could emulate Ivan Lendl as he spoke to Tennis365 about what the top of men’s tennis will look like in the coming years.
After Novak Djokovic collected his 24th and most recent Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open, Alcaraz and Sinner established a duopoly by winning all of the next nine majors between them.
Sinner and Alcaraz secured two Grand Slam titles each in both 2024 and 2025 before the latter triumphed at the 2026 Australian Open.
The pair’s streak of consecutive majors ended at the 2026 French Open as Zverev prevailed to claim his maiden Slam title.
Sinner then defeated Zverev in the final at Wimbledon, which means he and Alcaraz have each won five of the last 11 majors. Alcaraz did not compete at the French Open or Wimbledon this year due to injury.
In an exclusive interview, Tennis365 asked Krajicek if he thinks Sinner and Alcaraz will continue to dominate the sport once the latter returns to the tour.
“In a way, yes,” replied the 1996 Wimbledon champion, who reached a career-high ranking of world No 4.
“But I have to say now, with Zverev winning that Slam, you saw it already [at Wimbledon]… grass is not his surface, but he wins close matches. He’s very confident.
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“I remember when [Ivan] Lendl finally won his first Grand Slam, he started winning a lot of Grand Slams.
“It was eight [Grand Slams] he won in the end. So, maybe something like this can also happen [with Zverev].
“I think it’s going to be those three players – Sinner, Alcaraz and Zverev – playing for the next three, four, five years, in the top.”
Krajicek has also given Tennis365 his verdict on the right wrist injury which has sidelined Alcaraz since April.
“They’re much tougher injuries — these wrist or elbow injuries,” said the Dutchman.
“I had an elbow injury myself. It’s really difficult to reset when you start playing again [after this type injury]. So, you hit a little bit… You need to go step by step.
“It’s not as clear-cut as tearing the ligaments in your ankle, which they say is three or four months, and it’s always three or four months, and then you can play again.
“So yeah, it takes a bit of time, but he’s young, and I think he’s got good healing power.
“I’m not concerned that he will play, and I’m not concerned that he’s going to return to his full form.
“But it’s a question of when. Is it gonna be for the hard courts [in North America]? Is it gonna be for the indoors? But still, I think it’s going to be this year.”
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