Former world No. 1 says Alcaraz and Sinner are on ‘another level,’ but not yet above Big Three

After the retirement of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and with Novak Djokovic in the twilight of his career, Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have taken the baton of tennis dominance, which was evidenced in the Roland Garros final. Apart from being one of the longest ever, it showcased incredible shots between the two of them. Former World No. 1 Mats Wilander believes that the two young stars are playing tennis at a new speed, but doesn’t think they are better than the Big Three yet.

Wilander is cautious about drawing direct comparisons between Alcaraz and Sinner and the legendary trio of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic, who between the three of them won 66 Grand Slam titles. Still, Wilander feels that Alcaraz and Sinne can advance the sport to a “next level,” a place he hints they might already be reaching.

“It feels to me like this is another level,” Wilander shared in a recent interview with Tennis365. He added, “It doesn’t mean that they are better than Federer at his best, or Nadal and Djokovic at their best.”

“Maybe they make more mistakes, but the game is faster,” Wilander observed, emphasizing the challenge in making era-by-era comparisons. “They make more mistakes than Djokovic and Nadal when they were at their best and that’s why it’s so hard to compare the different eras.”

Carlos Alcaraz celebrates during Roland Garros final against Jannik Sinner (Julian Finney/Getty Images)

“You need to bring Nadal’s mindset into this discussion,” he added. “You need to bring in Djokovic’s ability to figure out what is going on and giving what they don’t want. That’s why I like Novak hanging around and trying to test himself against these guys,” he concluded.

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What’s next for Alcaraz and Sinner?

As the tennis world turns its gaze towards grass-court season, Sinner and Alcaraz prepare for another challenge. Sinner is setting his sights on securing his first Wimbledon title, as the prestigious tournament kicks off at the end of this month. Before that, he is slated to compete at the Halle event in Germany.

Similarly, Alcaraz is seeking to defend his Wimbledon title. While he was expected to play at Queen’s, a tournament he won last season, his participation is in doubt as the Spaniard took a few days to rest.