World No.6 Taylor Fritz believes the current elite of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are already superior to tennis icons Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Italian maestro Sinner, 23, and his adversary Alcaraz, 21, are the current flagbearers of men’s tennis, having won every Grand Slam on offer this year.
Whenever the two face off, they enjoy electric battles and seem to be just that level greater than the rest of those challenging on the ATP Tour. A 37-year-old Djokovic often takes exception to this and produces his almost robotic best to take either of the world-beaters down, but the fact remains that few can touch the prodigious pair when they are in full flow.
Stellar American Fritz, who has beaten either of the duo just once – a victory against Sinner at Indian Wells in 2021 – lost to the Italian in the US Open final last month and has now gone as far as saying that this new crop are is better than both Djokovic and soon-to-retire legend Nadal.
Speaking to Tennis Channel, Fritz was asked about facing off against the two tour-leading stars – who have often had his number – and he obliged, going into depth about what makes them tick.
“They [Sinner and Alcaraz] just play these lateral baseline points like… 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,” Fritz began. “But, like when Sinner and Alcaraz do it I swear they’re the same but hitting the ball 10pmh faster. It’s crazy.”
The American credits the pair with more than just a lightning offence, as he revealed that a squeaky-clean defence from either often proves impenetrable, too.
“I mean, one other thing both of those guys do really well is just they… I mean their defence is incredible,” Fritz added. “I think more so though, their defence is amazing – but they don’t really play that much defence!
“Their defence is like, you know, when they’re full, on the run, out of the corners, they just crush the ball. I guess a good example is like I can be a backhand cross rally with either one of them.
“If I get around one, pull a forehand inside in or pull back in line it’s got to be so good or else the next one is just getting like drilled huge cross court.”
With the era of a ‘big three’ consisting of Djokovic, Nadal and the already retired Roger Federer slowly fizzling out, according to Fritz, tennis is in good – perhaps even more skilled hands – going forward.
