Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz are the top two players in men’s tennis and have won the last nine Grand Slams.
Their rivalry has already reached legendary status, entertaining fans in each of their 17 ATP Tour meetings.
Sinner and Alcaraz have learned a lot from each other, and that learning hasn’t stopped just because the Spaniard is out injured.
Who will win the 2026 Italian Open?
A stacked field in Rome!
Former world number one Andy Roddick believes Sinner has now ‘adopted’ one of Alcaraz’s shots, and put it to good use at last week’s Madrid Open.
Andy Roddick claims Jannik Sinner has ‘adopted’ Carlos Alcaraz’s dropshot
During the latest episode of ‘Served with Andy Roddick‘, the 2003 US Open champion highlighted the improvements of the world number one.
“[Jannik] Sinner has improved; it’s absurd to watch him four years ago and now. The strength, the movement, everything he does, the serve! He plays like a full grown up now, whereas he used to look like he was growing into his body,” said Roddick.
“There was a conversation, ‘Is Sinner going to break out in a Slam?’ – Yes was the answer to that…
Jannik Sinner’s Grand Slam performance timeline
| Grand Slam | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
| Australian Open | – | 2R | 1R | QF | 4R | W | W | SF |
| French Open | – | QF | 4R | 4R | 2R | SF | F | – |
| Wimbledon | Q1 | – | 1R | QF | SF | QF | W | |
| US Open | 1R | 1R | 4R | QF | 4R | W | F |
“It’s been fun for me because his base setting where he just goes and bullies you off the court is great, and he would win five more Slams doing that.
“But the way that he can pick apart, strategically…
“He’s added in the little drop shot off the forehand side, he started hitting one-handed backhand drop shots down the line and cross, more this tournament than I’d ever seen before.
Jannik Sinner’s dropshot frequency (2026)
| Tournament | Average dropshot frequency | Peak dropshot frequency |
| Madrid Open | 4.1% | 5.8% |
| Monte Carlo Masters | 2.5% | 3.3% |
| Miami Open | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Indian Wells | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Qatar Open | 2.3% | 2.3% |
| Australian Open | 1.9% | 3.6% |
| Career | 1.2% | 5.8% |
“Jannik is now getting to the place where he has all these options, and I don’t even know that he needs to use them, but it’s this intimidating thing where you know he has them anyway.
“He’s melted together all these different parts of other people’s games.
“He switches directions like prime Novak [Djokovic] did/does, he’s adopted the drop shots from Carlos [Alcaraz], he’s changed his serve, twice in the last three years, he’s gone from platform, to foot up, and then he adjusted something in his tosses.
“Sinner is a better player than he was last September, which is absurd to think about.”
Roddick believes Sinner is now using Alcaraz’s drop shot to good effect.
After losing the US Open final to Alcaraz last year, Sinner suggested he would make changes to his game.
At the following events in Beijing and Shanghai, the world number one could be seen experimenting with the drop shot, to varying levels of success.
Some questioned the change of tactics at the time, but now, it looks like Sinner and his team made the right call.
Roddick has been impressed by Sinner’s willingness to change things up.
“I’m nowhere near the player Sinner was; you probably would become stubborn if you had as much success playing one way, this guy is in constant shape-shifter mode,” he said.
“The first serve % has gone up a tonne this year, he’s hitting his spots better…
“He beat [Arthur] Fils and [Alexander] Zverev back-to-back, in completely different ways.
“The differences were very, very clear. Zverev, way back on the serve. Fils, Sinner was three feet inside the court, taking second serves, it was on Fils’ feet before he could adjust, and then he was behind.”
Finally, Roddick commented on Sinner’s career achievements and his fitness heading into the Italian Open.
“It’s a strange thing, the big three go, Serena [Williams] goes, and you’re like okay, let’s get back to sanity, parity, let some of us schmucks get through and have some success…” he said.
“Nope!
“Indian Wells, Miami… He’ll take a break.
“Shows up in Monte Carlo, chicken dinner there, maybe he cruises Madrid, pulls out of Rome?
Jannik Sinner’s Masters 1000 winning streak
- 2025 Paris Masters
- 2026 Indian Wells
- 2026 Miami Open
- 2026 Monte Carlo Masters
- 2026 Madrid Open
“I don’t think he can pull out of Rome.
“If he isn’t ready to play Rome, I have no doubt his team would take [him out].
“But, he has four days off, five days off, then he plays every other day…
“He’s going to play Rome, and he’s going to be rested. I don’t think he’s worn out.
“I don’t see how anyone gets in his way right now.”
Jannik Sinner can make more history at the Italian Open
Sinner has won eight of the nine Masters 1000 titles.
Jannik Sinner’s record at the Masters 1000 events
| Masters 1000 | Titles | Win/Loss record | Win % |
| Indian Wells | 1 (2026) | 17-3 | 85% |
| Miami Open | 2 (2024, 2026) | 25-3 | 89% |
| Monte Carlo Masters | 1 (2026) | 15-4 | 79% |
| Madrid Open | 1 (2026) | 12-2 | 86% |
| Italian Open | 0 | 14-6 | 70% |
| Canadian Open | 1 (2023) | 7-3 | 70% |
| Cincinnati Open | 1 (2024) | 12-4 | 75% |
| Shanghai Masters | 1 (2024) | 9-2 | 82% |
| Paris Masters | 1 (2025) | 6-2 | 75% |
If he wins the Italian Open, he will become the youngest player to complete the ‘Career Golden Masters’.
Novak Djokovic completed the ‘Career Golden Masters’ in 2018 at 31, seven years older than Sinner is today.
Only time will tell if Sinner can make history in Rome, but you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
Sinner will begin his Italian Open campaign later this week against either Sebastian Ofner or Alex Michelsen.
