Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have “raised the level of the sport beyond what we were used to”, according to former ATP star Dominic Thiem.
In the last two months, the rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz reached its highest point yet as the leading duo met in the finals at both the French Open and Wimbledon.
Alcaraz prevailed in a fifth set tiebreak in an astonishing final at Roland Garros after saving three Sinner championship points in the fourth set. At five hours and 29 minutes, the showdown is the second longest Grand Slam title match in history.
Sinner exacted his revenge by delivering an outstanding performance to down Alcaraz in four sets in the Wimbledon final earlier this month.
The victory saw the Italian claim his maiden Wimbledon crown and it ended Alcaraz’s 24-match winning streak, as well as the Spaniard’s bid for a third successive title at the London major.
Alcaraz has won five Grand Slam titles to Sinner’s four, with the pair having shared the previous seven majors between them since the start of 2024.
Sinner and Alcaraz are ranked first and second in the ATP Rankings, and they have significant leads over the chasing pack.
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In an interview with Cronache di Tennis, Thiem gave his verdict on the pair’s rivalry after their Grand Slam final clashes.
“The finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon were incredible,” said the 2020 US Open champion.
“They raised the level of the sport beyond what we were used to. They’re playing faster and faster, but they’re making fewer and fewer errors and moving better and better.
“I didn’t expect two more generational talents to come so quickly after the Big Three. And Novak [Djokovic] keeps playing.”
The former world No 3 continued: “Today, they have too much of a lead. But they can also lose: we saw it with Grigor Dimitrov at Wimbledon, or Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz and Jack Draper, if they play perfectly.
“I doubt they will win every Grand Slam tournament in the next ten years, but today they are way ahead of everyone.
“I would have liked to play against Alcaraz and Sinner at the height of my career. I don’t know how it would have ended, but we would have had a lot of fun.”
Thiem called time on his glittering career in October 2024 after being plagued by a wrist injury he suffered in 2021.
The Austrian won 17 singles titles, appeared in four Grand Slam finals and amassed impressive records against the Big Three: 5-2 against Roger Federer, 5-7 against Novak Djokovic, 6-10 against Rafael Nadal.
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