Carlos Alcaraz has tipped Jannik Sinner as the best player in the world right now. Sinner lifted his second Australian Open title after beating Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the summit clash at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.
This was the third Slam title for the Italian as he continued his good show in the hard-court events. The youngster dropped only two sets on his way to the title in Australia. Sinner was also in stellar form in 2024, winning 73 out of his 79 games
On the other hand, Carlos Alcaraz suffered a quarterfinal loss against Novak Djokovic in four sets in the Australian Open. Alcaraz shares a 6-4 advantage against the Italian rival on the tour.
“Jannik is the best right now,” Alcaraz told reporters Sunday in Rotterdam, Netherlands. “He has lost only four or five matches in the past year, so it’s crazy. I know people say who’s better out of us. They say Jannik is better or some say me. It’s all discussion.
“But for me, I think for a tennis player, we have to face Jannik and he’s winning everything. He’s focused every time, so I think he’s the best. Every tournament he plays, he makes the final or lifts the trophy.”
Alcaraz shared his views after renowned coach Patrick Mouratoglou said he wouldn’t put Sinner ahead of Alcaraz.
“Jannik is not above everyone, I don’t think he is above Carlos,” Mouratoglou, who coaches Naomi Osaka and was also Serena Williams’ longtime coach, said in a video posted to his Instagram page. “When Carlos is at his best, there is a real match, and I’m not sure who is going to win, and nobody can say who will win.”
He continued, “All their matches have been extremely close, extremely uncertain, and Carlos won some big ones against him. I think Jannik and Carlos are above everyone else. The difference is, they have a different type of game.”
Alcaraz lauded Novak Djokovic and said the Serbian played an unbelievable game in the quarterfinal clash at the Happy Slam.
“I don’t feel that it was a missed opportunity against Novak,” added Alcaraz, who won the US Open in 2022. “I really wanted to win the tournament and felt I was able to, but Novak played an unbelievable match. Facing Novak in the quarterfinals at a Grand Slam is the worst thing.
