With Rafael Nadal’s retirement already announced and Novak Djokovic remaining as the only star of the ‘Big 3’, tennis has definitely entered a new era. While Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are still in the early stages of their careers, US Open finalist Taylor Fritz has made a bold claim stating in which aspect the two young stars are better than the Big 3.
Speaking to Tennis Channel, Fritz explained what made Sinner and Alcaraz different from Nadal, Djokovic and Roger Federer: their ball speed. “Their defense is incredible. I think more so though, their defense is amazing but they don’t really play that much defense. Their defense is like, you know, when they’re full, on the run, out of the corners, they just crush the ball,” he said.
“I mean these crazy points that you see like Nadal, Fed… mostly you see like Nadal and Novak have these long points corner to corner, but like when Sinner and Alcaraz do it, I swear, they’re the same but hitting the ball 10pmh faster. It’s crazy,” he added.
Sinner and Alcaraz have emerged as the next big rivalry in tennis, as they have already succeeded in the biggest stages, as well as defeating both Nadal and Djokovic. With two and four Grand Slams titles respectively, they are building their resume but they are still quite far from the ‘Big 3’ level.
annik Sinner of Italy (L) celebrates winning match point against Novak Djokovic of Serbia during day two of the Six Kings Slam 2024 (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)
However, their matchups, especially their last encounter at the 2024 Six Kings Slam, had many people praising them, including British Liam Brody. “The ball striking is some of the best I’ve ever seen and I hate to say that as I’m a ‘Big 3’ fan, but they hit the ball so big and so consistently big. I’ve never seen anything like it,” he told Sky Sports.
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Reflecting on his career, Nadal told AS in a new interview how he sees Alcaraz and Sinner in the years to come, especially compared to the ‘Big 3’ era. “Things are cyclical, and it’s logical that when an era ends with three players who have achieved more than anyone else in the history of our sport, it’s clear that a unique and special era has come to a close for many reasons. However, we are entering a new era, with players like Carlos, who has four Grand Slams, and Jannik, who has two,” he said.
“Every year there are champions, and if they can maintain this level, they will generate significant interest. Over time, that interest will grow for obvious reasons, because great stars and personalities are not made in a day. What makes them great is their longevity and the moment they transcend the sport, where people come to watch those matches not just because they love tennis, but because they want to see the personalities themselves. And that, I suppose, will take some time to happen, but I’m convinced it will,” he concluded.
