Since the beginning of the 2024 season, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner have been a class above on the ATP Tour.
The world number one and two have shared the previous seven Grand Slams amongst themselves, with Alcaraz winning three and Sinner winning four.
They have also contested the last two major finals, as Alcaraz and Sinner met in Paris and London.
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Dominating in the manner they have, many have questioned whether the youngsters could one day surpass the records of some of the ATP Tour’s greatest-ever players.
Comparing eras is never easy, but Nick Kyrgios has now given his verdict on whether Alcaraz and Sinner are better than Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Nick Kyrgios thinks Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will ‘eventually surpass’ tennis legends
During the latest episode of ‘All on the Table’, Kyrgios and Patrick Mouratoglou discussed the differences between Alcaraz/Sinner and Nadal/Federer.
“I think they are playing better. I think the game keeps evolving,” said Mouratoglou.
“I watched the final of Roland Garros [between Alcaraz and Sinner] and then saw the final on grass between Federer and Nadal [at Wimbledon], and it’s so much slower. The pace they play is unreal.”
Kyrgios doesn’t think Sinner and Alcaraz are quite there yet but believes they have the potential to surpass Federer and Nadal.
“It’s hard for me to say, maybe because I am getting older too, I think they will eventually surpass them, but not right now,” he said.
“At their prime. Prime Federer that year, where he won Indian Wells, Miami, Australian Open. That year, I don’t think so.
“The slice. I think Federer would play really well against Sinner and the slices and bring him forward, he would make him feel [uncomfortable].
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“And Federer against [Daniil] Medvedev, I think Federer would destroy him. But then I think maybe Alcaraz beats Federer. I don’t know. It’s hard for me to say they are better right now, or maybe I don’t want to.”
Mouratoglou proceeded to say he doesn’t like ‘comparing eras’, but highlighted the advantage Alcaraz would have over Federer.
“I am just saying it’s a lot faster, and if you look at Alcaraz, his game, he can do everything that Roger was doing but faster, so that is my feeling,” he said.
“But I don’t like to compare eras because tennis was there. We had the greatest champions at that time, but tennis was going to another level, it was always evolving, and at the moment we have the best champions we can have.”
Kyrgios and Mouratoglou also took the time to weigh in on a controversial debate, which has been doing the rounds since the French Open.
Could Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner beat ‘prime’ Rafael Nadal on clay?
During the French Open, tennis legend John McEnroe controversially claimed Alcaraz and Sinner would be favored to beat ‘prime’ Nadal on clay
Kyrgios and Mouratoglou have now weighed in with their thoughts, disagreeing with the American.
“Nadal on the clay in his prime, I don’t think they are better,” said Kyrgios.
“I agree with that because Nadal has such a different game on clay than anyone, so it is difficult to imagine what it would look like to play prime Rafa on clay,” added Mouratoglou.
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Kyrgios then predicted how Alcaraz would fare against the 14-time Roland Garros champion on clay.
“I think Alcaraz would beat him sometimes, but Nadal would probably win six or seven times out of 10 on clay,” he said.
“But then Alcaraz would probably beat him anywhere else, so maybe he is better.”
Alcaraz and Nadal played one another three times on the ATP Tour, as the veteran won their head-to-head, 2-1.
2021 Madrid Open 2R – Rafael Nadal beat Carlos Alcaraz, 6-1, 6-22022 Indian Wells SF – Rafael Nadal beat Carlos Alcaraz, 6-4, 4-6, 6-32022 Madrid Open QF – Carlos Alcaraz beat Rafael Nadal, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3
It is, however, important to note that neither Nadal nor Alcaraz were in their ‘prime’ during their three career meetings.
We will never know how the Alcaraz of today would compete against Nadal during his best years, but it is certainly interesting to think about.